STAFF at Princess Margaret Hospital have been warned to prepare themselves for any future fuel crisis.

As people in the town continue to panic buy, nurses and doctors have been sent a letter asking them to ensure they can get into work if there is a blockade.

Protesters, who are demanding a 15p cut in petrol duty, set the Government a 60-day deadline to meet their demands during the crisis in September.

That deadline ends on November 13, when there is a threat of further action.

Petrol stations across the town have reported an increase in trade as people rush to the pumps. Several, including the Shell Garage in Western Way, have run out of certain types of fuel.

PMH spokesman Chris Birdsill said: "Our staff were brilliant in the last fuel crisis and we were also helped by garages who gave our staff priority.

"We are ensuring that we are planning early in case we experience more problems.

"We are asking people to organise car sharing and we are setting up a car pool so that staff can link up with others taking the same journey.

"We hope the situation will resolve itself, but we have to be prepared."

Home Secretary Jack Straw has warned protesters that the police and army will be used to ensure fuel deliveries are kept up in the event of future demonstrations.

Chancellor Gordon Brown is expected to indicate next week during his pre-budget statement that he will act to ease fuel duty.