GWENT could be plunged into petrol pump chaos within weeks if further hikes in fuel prices are not prevented, one of the ringleaders of the 2000 fuel protests is warning.

Monmouthshire farmer David Handley is a member of the pressure group Farmers for Action and was instrumental in the fuel revolts four years ago.

He told the Argus unless action was taken to reduce fuel prices we will see a return to scenes of protests at refineries and queues at the petrol pumps.

He said: "Over the past few months I've had numerous meetings with representatives from the farming and haulage industries and feelings are running very high.

"We are not prepared to sit back and let this situation continue. "Things have not yet reached the point they did in 2000 but they are heading that way.

"We want to send a message to the Chancellor that he cannot go ahead with his proposed rise in fuel duty in September and the oil companies cannot go on exploiting the situation in the Middle East."

Mr Handley, who runs a dairy farm near Raglan, says over the past six months he has seen the price of red agricultural diesel increase from 17 pence a litre to 23.5 pence a litre.

Petrol prices are also on the rise following a surge in the cost of crude oil which means motorists are now paying around 80 pence a litre.

Mr Handley said: "The agriculture industry is already under immense pressure and fuel prices are the straw breaking the camel's back.

"For every penny increase in the price of fuel, £3 is added to the cost of running a tractor for an hour, we simply can't go on like this."

His warning comes just days after Assembly Member Brynle Williams, who helped organise the blockades of 2000, asked the Chancellor to meet road hauliers and rural representatives to prevent another fuel revolt.