A SLOW-MOVING convoy reduced a North-East town to a standstill at the weekend as farmers and hauliers continued their protest over high fuel prices.

Despite a similar protest being called off in Newcastle, a long line of tractors and lorries drove through Darlington from midday on Saturday causing chaos for two hours.

Many drivers displayed pictures of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown in their cabs with the threat that the protests would resume in full if there was no Government action on fuel prices in the next 60 days.

A slow-moving protest in Newcastle was cancelled after organisers decided they had made their point.

Newcastle haulage boss Alan Ferguson, who had supported the campaign, said: "Throughout the last seven days there has been a remarkable coming together of disparate groups, united in their opposition to a Government policy which is perceived by most people as being downright wrong in both its philosophy and its execution."

He went on to endorse the "wholly sensible and civilised decision" by the protestors to suspend their action.

Elsewhere in the region, fuel deliveries arrived at petrol stations with many motorists able to fill up their cars for the first time in a week, and motor racing taking place at Croft Circuit, near Darlington.

Some events planned for the weekend were hit by the crisis, and the Post Office cancelled all its collections yesterday to conserve its fuel stocks.

Normality is expected to return in most areas in the coming week with North Yorkshire County Council restarting its mobile and school library services today as well as its grounds maintenance.

Nationally, an action group has been formed to focus on lowering all road use taxes in the UK.

The group, which includes the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and the Road Haulage Association, will assess taxes, including VAT, fuel duty and excise duty. Proposals on the future of these taxes will be forwarded to the Chancellor before the November budget.

NFU president Ben Gill, who farms at Easingwold, North Yorkshire, said: "The protests of the last few days have been a reflection of the desperation of the small businessmen and women of this country.