SUPERMARKET Asda dropped the price of unleaded petrol today - despite saying it would not take part in the Black Friday discount day.

From today (Friday) drivers can fill up for just 99.7p per litre for unleaded and 103.7p per litre for diesel at any of the comapny's 273 filling stations.

The price cut takes the cost of a litre of unleaded petrol below £1 for the first time since 2009.

On Monday, Asda will revert back to its original price of 103.7p on unleaded and 106.7 ppl on diesel.

The supermarket chain had earlier said it was not going to take part in Black Friday after chaotic and violent scenes in its stores last year.

Last year, a woman in Belfast suffered a suspected broken arm during a stampede for cheap televisions.

And in Pembroke Dock, shoppers started queuing at 4am to get their hands on cut-price Christmas presents.

The discounts will have added impact following the freeze on fuel duty announced in the Autumn Statement on Wednesday.

Andy Clarke, Asda president and CEO, said: "The Chancellor's freeze on fuel duty is what our customers were hoping for.

"We'd urge the Chancellor to continue with a freeze on fuel duty in the March Budget to help maintain discretionary income levels for families."

However Edmund King, AA president, warned that a cut in fuel prices beyond Black Friday is what is really needed to help UK drivers.

He said: "Apart from marketing gimmicks, pump prices haven't been below £1 per litre for five and a half years.

"Some drivers may wonder why petrol isn't one pound per litre across the board with oil trading at under 50 US dollars per barrel."