Panorama tells the story behind the fuel blockade which almost paralysed the country.

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Brynle Williams

Two weeks ago a convoy of Welsh farmers and truck drivers lead by Brynle Williams arrived in Cheshire. Their plan was simple - to blockade the Shell oil refinery at Ellesmere Port.

They did not realise the extent of the support they would get. The protests spread and petrol stocks began to run down at a breathtaking rate.

Clive Swan said "it just escalated, it was just like a bushfire once Brynle had lit the touch paper, it just spread."

Tony Pearce

Road Haulier Tony Pearce said "What drove us to it was the extortionate amount of tax that we're paying in the UK as road hauliers. We just can't go on paying the amount of taxes that the government is asking from us."

Jane Corbin asks how Britain was brought to the brink of shutdown and whether we will be going through the whole thing again in the run up to Christmas.

Related links:

BBC News - In Depth: Fuel Price Protests

Fuel Forum

OPEC

Dump the Pumps Campaign