AS petrol panic swept the North, police were last night investigating thefts of fuel from parked vehicles.

Car owners in Frosterly, near Bishop Auckland, discovered someone had pierced the petrol tanks on two cars and escaped with the fuel overnight.

Linda Dykes had £25 worth of petrol taken from her Fiat Ibiza parked in a village car park. Her car is now unusable and she is stranded at home.

"I can't get a courtesy car until tomorrow and then I have a problem getting petrol for it.

"I work 30 miles from home and I can't get any public transport, so it's impossible for me to get to work.

"It's also an inconvenience for Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project, the charity I work for, who don't have the funds to get coverage for me."

A Fiat Punto in the car park off Front Street was drained of a full tank of petrol.

Drive-off thefts of fuel were reported from crowded forecourts across the region, with one garage in Consett reporting five such thefts in an hour.

Meanwhile, 400 litres of petrol were stolen from a lorry parked on the A19 near Thirsk.

Diesel worth £200 was also taken from a tank at a farm at Norwood near Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police suspect drivers filling their tanks to the limit were the cause of two petrol leaks on roads at Scarborough and Whitby.