Devon and Cornwall fuel shortages: Motorists urged not to panic buy as Storm Eunice hits deliveries

Motorists are once again being told not to panic buy, after fears a minor fuel shortage could escalate and starve emergency services of petrol and diesel.

Disruption to shipments of fuel into Plymouth after last week's high winds from Storm Eunice meant that some petrol stations were running low, or out, towards the end of this week.

Stations across Devon and Cornwall were running dry, mostly of diesel, as a result - though there were not the same scenes from September after a huge shortage.

Read: Fuel shortages at Cornwall petrol garages

However, there are now fears that panic buying could make this worse, as deliveries aren't scheduled for some stations until next week, ITV reports.

Lisa Burnett, resource development officer for Devon and Cornwall Police, posted on Twitter earlier this evening (February 26) that she worries emergency vehicles might be affected.

Ms Burnett said: "Please stop panic buying fuel. Not only am I lucky to have a second car, but there is a risk emergency vehicles won’t be able to fill up."

Similar warnings were given out in September 2021, when people flocked to stations to buy fuel in case of a mass shortage which never happened.