THE fuel crisis in East Lancashire got worse as petrol-hungry motorists scoured filling stations to fill emptying tanks and hospital chiefs warned of a threat to the old.

Motorists were up at dawn hunting fuel - and one garage in Blackburn had a queue at 6am, and a line up of 300 yards in length most of the morning.

But all over East Lancashire garages closed their pumps as the tanks ran dry.

While the motorists were put out hunting fuel education chiefs drew up plans to close more schools as headmasters reported that fuel stocks were reaching crisis point.

And in Blackburn a hospital official said concern was growing for the fate of 30 geriatric patients at Ribchester Hospital unless fuel was delivered that afternoon.

He also warned that district nurses were running low on petrol and there would be delays in visiting the old people in their homes.

The hospital warning came from Lionel Bamford, administrator of the Blackburn Health District.

He said that fuel supplies had been promised for the 30 patient Ribchester Hospital that afternoon, but that if they did not arrive the hospital would be in trouble.