HAMPSHIRE is today bracing itself for the brunt of a protest against fuel prices.

Hauliers and farmers staged a go- slow on one of the county's major roads in a demonstration at diesel prices which they say are forcing them out of business.

The development came after protesters gathered outside Fawley oil refinery this morning.

They demanded that tanker drivers join their campaign and suspend operations to and from the plant until lunchtime today.

After talks broke down the campaigners decided to take direct action themselves.

The 30 campaigners drove their trucks and tractors from the plant along the A326 to Ower and then along Romsey Road to Cadnam.

At a speed of about 40 miles an hour and with traffic trailing back behind them they headed west along the A31 to Ringwood and back again returning to Fawley at lunchtime.

They said their aim was not to cause disruption to the public. They were seeking the public's support against the increase in tax on fuel.

One man said: "The policy for the cost of taxation of fuel is astronomical. For every pound I pay, 80p goes to the government.''

Hampshire was part of a national campaign which saw a series of protests planned throughout Britain.

Earlier today a convoy of protesters had scrapped their initial plan to gather at about 6.30am at Ower for the morning rush hour travelling at about 40mph on minor roads and 50mph on motorways.

They had been expected to set off in three groups of ten and head along the A36 from Ower, along the A326 to the Hardley roundabout and then move on to the M27 to the Windhover roundabout at junction 8 near Hamble. They were then due to have headed back along the motorway and back to the Hardley roundabout before dispersing.

This protest was called off while they waited on the results of negotiations with the union representative at Fawley.

The campaigners threatened today's protest would only be the opening shots in the war against the cost of fuel.

Today's protest was led by Chris Hunter, a road haulage contractor based in Southampton docks.

He said: "We were going to have a go slow in the rush hour, but thought that might backfire against us.

"Now we have decided to seek a meeting with the tankers' drivers union representative and will ask him to suspend operations until midday. If that falls flat on its face, we will take to the roads with a convoy of trucks and tractors.

"The protesters are a mixture of farmers, hauliers and road haulage contractors. We are all in the same boat. We are all cheesed off at the price of fuel which is putting a lot of people out of business.

"But whatever happens we want to minimise disruption to the public and make sure they are on our side.''

Hampshire bore the brunt of protests in the autumn of 2000 when there was a month-long action against the price of fuel at Fawley and the BP oil terminal at Hamble.

Yesterday pressure group Farmers For Action launched a protest at Shell's refinery in Stanlow. Tractors and agricultural vehicles formed a rolling blockade at one of the gates to the refinery. Following talks with the police, they agreed to park their vehicles on the grass on the roundabout and send in a small party to negotiate with Shell management.

FUEL CRISIS:

The latest fuel protest comes four years after blockades at the Fawley Oil Refinery and BP oil terminal at Hamble prevented hundreds of tankers from leaving.

Queues of up to 50 cars stretched back from Hampshire's petrol station forecourts as drivers feared the worst and started to fill up their tanks in September 2000.

But within hours many petrol stations across the county were forced to close with unleaded pumps running dry first, followed by diesel and lead replacement petrol.

The month-long countrywide fuel protest spearheaded by David Handley, chairman of the People's Fuel Lobby, cost Hampshire more than £20m in less than a week.

And in Southampton alone the figure was £15m.

Worst hit businesses were those in the distribution, road haulage and retailing industries.

Supplies of drugs and food to Southampton General Hospital were thrown into jeopardy and fire chiefs warned of longer response times as some stations were taken off emergency calls.