Petrol stations were besieged by panic-buying motorists as thousands braced themselves for expected fuel protests.

Traffic queues snaked from forecourts across Sussex after protesters from the Fuel Lobby gave ministers until today to meet them or face three days of demonstrations starting tomorrow.

Petrol retailers last night appealed for calm as some forecourts warned they could run dry.

Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said there had been some instances of panic-buying of fuel but said the situation "did not compare" with anything like the last protests in 2000.

His remarks were made as some petrol stations warned they would run out of fuel today or before if demand continued at the same rate as yesterday.

Police were brought in to direct traffic as more than 40 vehicles waited to use the pumps at Tesco's in Lottbridge Drove, Eastbourne.

Forecourts at Murco Service Station, in Sompting Avenue, Worthing, Tesco's, in New Road, Durrington, and Sainsbury's, in Lyons Way, Worthing, were all busy.

Traffic waiting to use Esso's pumps in Beechings Close, Bexhill, grew later yesterday afternoon and similar queues were seen at Asda at Brighton Marina and at Sainsbury's in The Drove, Newhaven.

Motorists waited for up to 40 minutes to get fuel at Asda's petrol station in Hollingbury, Brighton, with more than 30 vehicles waiting to use the two available pumps. Four pumps were closed by 2pm.

Half-way down the line Ken Burchill, 60, from Moulsecoomb, had been waiting for 20 minutes.

He said: "All this is caused by the Government. They're so greedy with their tax. No other country pays this much for it."

Driving instructor Wayne Fears, 38, had to cancel a lesson because of the wait and feared he might have to stock-pile petrol like he did during the last fuel protests to ensure he could keep working.

Others also feared for their livelihoods while Emma Hunt, 24, of Millcroft, Brighton, had to push her car in because it had run out of petrol with the wait.

A 62-year-old, who had been waiting for about 20 minutes said: "I'm listening to the cricket so it's no real hardship."

In the same queue, Gary Waller, 44, and his wife Anna, 46, of Old London Road, Patcham, filled their tank up on the way home from France earlier in the summer where it was 20 pence cheaper for diesel and both agreed prices must to be reviewed.

Bus driver Kevin Boughen, 31, who had been waiting for half-an-hour said the family car was vital for his wife, who is a nurse in Worthing. He said: "Traffic-wise, it might be quieter but I should imagine the buses will be fairly full of people in the next few days."

An Asda worker said: "The problem is people are panic-buying, They're buying £30 or £40-worth of petrol instead of the usual £20."

Tail backs to get to the pumps in Hollingbury finally disappeared when the petrol station ran out of supplies just after 8pm yesterday. The supermarket had to close their garage two hours early after endless queues of cars soaked up supplies.

A petrol delivery was expected to arrive at the store in the early hours of this morning Fuel Lobby spokesman Andrew Spence, which is planning protests against the price of petrol, said panic-buying was being exacerbated by claims the Government may introduce controls on purchasing.

Demonstration plans follow increased petrol prices of up to £1 a litre in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Campaigners argue the Government can control prices because of the amount of petrol tax.

Demonstrations are planned outside oil refineries, along with a motorway go-slow on the M4.

Chancellor Gordon Brown has blamed rising prices on Opec.