Petrol prices have risen sharply over the past month

The average cost of a litre of unleaded looks like breaching the 95p a litre mark, said PetrolPrices.com.

The warning comes after pump prices have risen sharply over the past month, mirroring a similar jump in crude oil prices on the global markets.

Oil prices have surged due to supply concerns centred on the ongoing Iranian nuclear row and unrest in Nigeria.

PetrolPrices.com estimates that the average cost of unleaded has risen offer the past month from 90.5p to the current 94.6p a litre.

Thursday's prices across the UK range from 88.9p to 103.9p a litre, it said.

Iranian stand-off

"Petrol is a grudge purchase, and with prices at record highs people are concerned more than ever about their energy bills," said PetrolPrices.com spokesman Kay Joyce.

AVERAGE PETROL PRICES Birmingham - 94.5p Cardiff - 94.9p Glasgow - 93.3p London - 94.2p Manchester - 94p Reading - 94.6p Price per litre of unleaded Source: PetrolPrices.com

Crude oil traded in London hit a record high of $74.16 a barrel on Thursday, the seventh consecutive day in which it has set a new price peak.

Future Iranian oil exports could be hit by the threat of US-led sanctions, due to Tehran's continuing efforts to enrich uranium in the face of global opposition.

While Iran says it needs the uranium to develop nuclear power stations, the US fears Iran wishes to produce nuclear weapons.