A HOSPITAL near Oswestry has pleaded for people to only buy the fuel they need so that staff can continue getting to work.

Gobowen’s Orthopaedic Hospital made the plea on Twitter on Friday, September 24, after some petrol stations across the country had to close their forecourts after people rushed to fill up their tanks.

Some drivers are rushing to buy petrol and diesel after concerns were raised over supply issues due to a shortage of HGV drivers in the country.

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) has responded by encouraging people in the region to refrain from purchasing more fuel than necessary.

A tweet on the hospital’s Twitter page read: “Please only buy the fuel you need, so that our wonderful staff can get to our hospital and keep on caring for you and your loved ones. #BeConsiderate #KeyWorkers.”

The hospital's message comes after queues formed at fuel pumps across the country on Friday.

The UK Government’s Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps MP, tried to dissuade drivers from panic-buying petrol on Friday.

He said that motorists should “carry on as normal”.

The president of the AA stated that panic-buying fuel is driving shortages at some petrol stations, rather than supply chain issues.

Edmund King said the problem should pass in a matter of days if drivers just stick to filling up when they need it, adding “there is plenty of fuel at source”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr King said shortage of lorry drivers had only been a “localised problem” earlier in the week.

His words come ahead of an expected announcement by the Government that visa rules for foreign lorry drivers will be relaxed.

“We were in discussions with government ministers last night and we talked to the major fuel companies, and we can reiterate there is not a problem with supply at the source,” Mr King said.

“Earlier in the week, there were some problems with the supply chain, as we know, due to a shortage of some lorry drivers, but that was only a localised problem.”

Mr King added that the shortage had been exacerbated by “people going out and filling up when they really don’t need to”.