PETROL panic-buyers have cleared out a Pembrokeshire fuel station this afternoon.

The Tesco forecourt in Haverfordwest was forced to temporarily close after motorists flocked to the supplier to fill up their tanks - a scenario that is taking place across the UK after fears of fuel shortages.

The concerns follow forecourt closures by Tesco and BP which were forced by a shortage of of HGV drivers.

However, people across Wales have been told not to panic-buy petrol or diesel, with the government saying there is not a shortage.

BP closed five of its 1,200 forecourts on Thursday, September 23 due to a lack of drivers, with between 50 and 100 affected by shortages.

Furthermore, 'a small number' of Tesco and Esso garages have been affected by shortages and lack of drivers, with Haverfordwest now included following the subsequent panic buys.

Other supermarkets, including Asda and Morrisons, have said they are having 'no problems' so far.

A government spokesperson said: “There is no shortage of fuel in the UK, and people should continue to buy fuel as normal.

“We recognise the challenges facing industry and have already taken action to increase the supply of HGV drivers, including streamlining the process for new drivers and increasing the number of driving tests.

“We continue to closely monitor labour supply and work with sector leaders to understand how we can best ease particular pinch points.”

AA president Edmund King added: “There is no shortage of fuel and thousands of forecourts are operating normally with just a few suffering temporary supply chain problems.

“Fridays and the weekend always tend to be busier on forecourts as drivers either combine filling up with shopping runs, prepare for weekend trips or refuel for the start of the new working week.

“Drivers should not fill up outside their normal routines because, even if the occasional petrol station is temporarily closed, others just down the road will be open.

“It is now clear that there have been occasional delays over recent weeks that have been managed with hardly anyone noticing. This was a manageable problem.”