MESSENGER has been receiving Tweets about petrol shortages and queues at various forecourts in Trafford.

Readers have pointed out problems this afternoon at two Washway Road Shell garages, which were reported empty at lunchtime.

Long queues have been found at Total Urmston, at Esso Altrincham and at the BP garage, on Carrington Lane, in Flixton.

This comes ahead of a possible strike by fuel tanker drivers.

Cllr Neil Taylor, for Timperley, posted yesterday on social networking site Foursquare that it took him 20 minutes to get petrol at the Shell garage, in Altrincham.

Large queues were also spotted at Tesco Sale as people rush out to fill up tanks and jerry cans.

Yesterday, PM David Cameron said motorists need not queue but should top up their tanks.

Cabinet office minister Francis Maude advised people to stockpile petrol in a jerry can in their garage.

Sales of petrol increased dramatically as a result.

The Fire Brigades Union said advising motorists to store jerry cans of petrol in their garages was wrong and must be withdrawn.

The union warned it would 'massively increase' fire and explosion risk and the public should be discouraged from doing so.

Workers in five of seven companies involved in the row over terms and conditions and safety standards voted in favour of strikes on Monday.

This raises the threat of walkouts over the Easter weekend, when millions of families will take to the road for the first major holiday of the year.

Union Unite will have to give seven days' notice of any walkouts, but the talks are likely be held soon at the conciliation service Acas in an attempt to avert stoppages.