Fuel tankers began to roll out of refineries across Britain today - as local stores warned food stocks were running low.

Protest leaders were beginning to admit defeat as police moved in to ensure the tankers flowed freely.

But the head of the petrol retailers association had bad news for the ordinary motorist - it could be three weeks before the pumps get back to normal.

Today fuel tankers began moving out of the Stanlow refinery in Cheshire - which supplies many forecourts across the Bradford district and where the protest began last Thursday.

As the convoy swept through the gates under police escort shortly before 7.30am, protest spokesman Brynle Williams conceded: "It looks like the end's about to come."

None of the tankers was displaying signs stating they were bound for the emergency services.

Last night tankers left refineries in Essex and Nottingham after Prime Minister Tony Blair promised the fuel situation would start getting back to normal.

But the Petrol Retailers' Association spokesman, Ray Holloway, said: "It will take three weeks for us to get back to where we were before this crisis began."

And it would be Saturday at the earliest before supplies were generally available to the public, he warned.

Meanwhile, local supermarkets saw a run on supplies of bread and milk as shoppers sought to stock up fearing a long-term crisis.

Fresh and frozen food supplies could be the first to be hit, according to the manager of an Asda store in Bradford, and the public could be on the receiving end by tomorrow.

Today, petrol stations were reporting they had finally run dry after scenes of panic buying of fuel.

But supermarkets stressed there was no immediate concern and a spokesman for Morrison's urged the public to remain calm and not to repeat panic buying which has plagued petrol stations.

Derek Charters, manager of the Asda Rooley Lane store, said: "We have been told the depot supplying our delivery vehicles is all right for the moment but we could experience difficulties by tomorrow or Friday - fresh and frozen foods will be the first affected."

Panic buying was severe at the 24-hour Tesco store at Halifax Road, Buttershaw yesterday. Frenzied shoppers had cleaned the store out of all milk and bread supplies.

A spokesman said: "It's really hectic in here. There is no milk or bread left at all."

At Asda in Shipley, Gordon Neil said: "We are not doing so good on the bread. We are baking constantly, as much as we can, to satisfy demand."

A spokesman added: "It's like Christmas. Everyone is panic buying - mostly milk, bread and produce."

At the new 24 hour Rooley Lane Asda store, it was the same story where a busy night's trade had left empty shelves in the fresh fruit and vegetable, bread and milk sections.

A spokesman for Morrison said its food stocks had not yet been seriously affected but added the company was still assessing its fuel supplies.

A spokesman added: "In terms of deliveries, these have continued as normal and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future."

Hackney Carriage drivers were meeting tonight to discuss possible protests backing the blockaders and threatened action by Thursday evening rush hour in the city.

Chairman of the Bradford branch of the Hackney Carriage Association Abid Hussain said: "If circumstances aren't changed today and prices stay as they are, we will be demonstrating on Thursday around the city centre.

"The Association has 190 members and around 100 of them should turn up to tonight's meeting and we will discuss what action to take. Some wanted action sooner but we will wait.

"If we do, it will be around the city centre on Thursday evening. There are 224 Hackney Carriages in the district and I expect about 100 of those to be at the meeting and take part in any action."

Linda Dixon, Bradford representative for the National Private Hire Association and co-owner of Keighley Taxis, agreed action would taking place sooner rather than later.

She said: "My firm has had to cancel any new fares for trips to airports or bus and train stations because we can't guarantee the journey.

"I'll be talking to Mr Hussain and if any action is taken it will be soon. All the drivers are in the same situation and it's time to take a stand."

The congestion caused by motorists desperate to fill up was so bad in Tong Street, Bradford, on Monday, police were forced to close a petrol station, even though fuel was still available.

Odsal Police say traffic waiting to use the Fina Denbrook Service Station on Tong Street was causing a rush hour gridlock.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "It was causing so much chaos we decided to close the petrol station down during the evening rush hour to help ease the traffic - even though there was still petrol available."

In Skipton, a group of men were selling petrol from the back of a Fiesta outside Morrison supermarket filling station in Broughton Road on Monday evening.

A Skipton police spokesman said: "Four of five men had two large barrels in the back of the car and were selling petrol. They were chased away by supermarket staff."

He said there was no law against selling the fuel if it was their property, but the men could have been breaking fire regulations.

The fuel crisis is even taking its toll on funeral directors. A spokesman for Joseph A Hey and Son Ltd, Great Horton Road, Bradford, said it was only a matter of time before firms felt the pinch.

He said: "We have a total of eight vehicles and at the moment we have enough fuel, but once the fuel in them runs out we are stuck the same as everyone else."

Buses were operating as normal today across the district, although First Bradford managing director Andy Campbell said the situation would be reviewed tomorrow.

Trains were suffering delays today and a Northern Spirit spokesman fuel was not an issue but was checking whether there were problems of drivers getting to work.

Bradford Health Authority, NHS Trusts, social services and family doctors have agreed a joint plan to minimise patient disruption.

"It is inevitable that non-urgent services will have to be reduced, for example, GPs may only be able to make emergency house calls and the ambulance service have withdrawn patient transport services for non urgent cases," said the health authority's director of planning, Paul Smith.

He added that the Millennium contingency plan was being put into effect for this crisis.

"The plan worked well over the New Year and will stand us in good stead for dealing with the situation we are now facing," he said.