Careless talk costs litres

Red Dragon's Party: Off to the petrol stations, anyone?

Two radio presenters at Cardiff-based Red Dragon FM sparked fresh waves of panic petrol buying after discussing rumours that blockades could be about to restart.

The station said afterwards the conversation was prompted by "numerous calls to the station from listeners" and that the presenters had made it clear they were "not aware of anything to substantiate the claims".

This is the transcript of the conversation on Warren Moore's mid-afternoon programme on Monday:

Moore: "Seems the petrol courts are a little bit busier."

Stuart McTeer (traffice and travel presenter): "They are, you can get petrol today."

Moore: "Which is always a good thing. Now a lot of people are ringing up, right. I'm putting you on the spot here I know, but you should know, you're a man of the news and a man of the people, Mr McTeer. A lot of people are saying they've heard rumours that they are going to blockade petrol areas, petrol forecourts at midnight tonight. What do you know?"

McTeer: "We've had a few phone calls about this as well and I'm a bit worried about turning out to be the Michael Fish-type thing. I'm not aware of anything but things can change."

Moore: "Like hurricanes for example."

McTeer: "I will do, sit on the fence."

Panic buying

The conversation, although apparently inocuous, went on to prompt frantic emails and mobile phone calls between listeners.

DJ Warren Moore: sparked panic with talk of rumours

Petrol stations in South Wales, which had being doing a normal trade, reported a sudden rush after the broadcast.

"People are telling us that blockades are going ahead," said a Texaco attendant in Cardiff. "They think something is going on."

As the queues appeared, motorists who had not heard the rumours but saw the lines of cars, decided to fill up, thinking that it was better to be safe than sorry.

"This has spread like wildfire"

But it was not just South Wales that was affected. There were huge queues at petrol stations across the West Country.

Dorset police said: "You name one town in the county, and there are garages that are having major problems. This has spread like wildfire."

In Hampshire, police said the situation was as bad as at the height of the previous week's (genuine) crisis.

And police in Scotland and Northumbria police reported up to 30 cars standing in line at some garages.

Panic over

Eventually, after repeated police warnings, reassurances from LibDem leader Charles Kennedy, and petrol companies like Texaco wading in, the crisis buying subsisded.

A slightly recalcitrant Red Dragon FM added that, since the fateful conversation, the station had persistently informed listeners that the rumours were unfounded.

But only after arguably the most successful broadcast in the station's history.