A SERIES of petrol protests will haunt politicians throughout the general election build-up with leading Gwent fuel campaigner David Handley declaring - "We're back!"

And the co-leader of The People's Fuel Lobby and former chairman of campaigning group Farmers For Action warned politicians of all parties that there could would be "nowhere to hide" from protesters calling for a cut in fuel tax.

The Monmouth farmer was influential in last September's petrol protests which brought the fuel-starved country to its knees.

Speaking from his home at Old Llanishen Farm, near Raglan, Mr Handley told the Argus a repeat of the widescale protests were planned over the next few weeks.

"We warned the politicians that unless they did something about the fuel tax situation then our protests would start back up again. "They chose to do nothing so we will ensure that fuel tax IS an election issue."

The handful of peaceful protests held by The People's Fuel Lobby in Essex, Bristol and Warwickshire on Friday, he said, were just the tip of the iceberg.

"The People Fuel Lobby's demonstrations were just the start of it and yes it was a clear message to say we're back. They will be on the same sort of scale as before - the exact nature of the protests I will not go into but safe to say we have a lot of things up our sleeves," Mr Handley said.

The dairy farmer said that William Hague's pledge to cut six pence of a litre of petrol if the Conservatives win the election would "not save one job".

He said the People's Fuel Lobby wanted an immediate cut in fuel tax and the next government to establish a "watchdog with teeth" to monitor and regulate prices being charged by the oil companies.

"I welcome the fact that Mr Hague appears to recognise the need to cut fuel but in his manifesto the six pence he talks of is over two years - and that is not going to change anything or save one job. And it also very well to pledge something but it is actual delivering promises what counts," he said.

"Unlike politicians who fail to deliver their promises, The People's Fuel Lobby promised to take action if nothing was done - and that is precisely what we will do.

"Politicians of all parties will not be able to hide from this issue," he said.