The strike by Shell tanker drivers started on Friday and ended early today.

Three fuel stations in the north of the county ran out of fuel over the weekend.

The worst-hit area was Thrapston, where both filling stations in the town ran out of diesel on Sunday.

Discussions with tanker drivers are set to resume today but drivers are threatening a second four-day stoppage for the weekend unless an agreement is reached.

The strike has affected 249 Shell outlets nationwide.

More than 600 of the 8,700 petrol stations in the UK had run out of unleaded and diesel fuels by yesterday.

Nadine Wigger, at the UK Oundle Road Service Station, in Thrapston, said: "We ran out of diesel and we have been busier for petrol.

"We have been getting calls asking if we have got any diesel. We got a delivery yesterday."

The threat to deliveries involving other companies emerged after it was reported on Friday that many non-Shell tanker drivers were also refusing to cross the strikers' picket line, leading to fears the shortage could escalate.

Howard Price, of Charter Cars taxi firm in Thrapston, drives a diesel car.

He said: "I just happened to fill up in Corby on Saturday and luckily I have got a large tank in my car, but certainly in a few days that is going to run down."

The Shell garage at Thrapston ran out of diesel but still had petrol, and the Finedon Road Shell site in Wellingborough ran out of regular petrol and diesel, but still had the more expensive V-Power varieties.

Erica Mitchell, at the Wellingborough Shell, said: "Our last delivery was on Friday. It is quieter, although people are still coming in and buying the V-Power fuel."

BP in Wellingborough also ran out of fuel for a couple of hours over the weekend but has since had a supply.

On Saturday BP Snax 24-hour in Rushden had run out of fuel but by Sunday the pumps were flowing again after a new delivery.

Elsewhere it was business as usual, with the rest of the filling stations reporting they still had fuel.

Many said that after a busy day on Saturday, business had calmed on Sunday and yesterday.