HOMEOWNERS and businesses in Worcester are panic-buying heating oil and other fuels amid forecasts of the coldest winter for decades.

Several local companies have said they are struggling to cope with the demand, which has surged in recent weeks.

Don Bennett, of Bennett Fuels Services, in Hallow, said his hundreds of customers always stored up at this time of year, but had been particularly frightened after the recent drop in temperatures. He said: "Some people are panicking because there has been a cold snap and because the long-term forecast is for a bad winter.

"We expect a surge in demand at this time of year, particularly with Christmas just around the corner, but as I said, some people are worrying unnecessarily."

Callow Fuels, of Sandy Lane Industrial Estate, has a backlog of orders. Jim Callow, the owner of the firm, urged people not to worry. He said: "People are panicking that they won't be able to get any fuel, and as a result we took three times the number of orders we would expect last week.

"Getting the oil is not the problem. Getting it out to the end user, that is home-owners and businesses, that's now the problem.

"We are confident that we have as much heating oil as possible to see people through a hard winter.

"While it would be prudent for homeowners and businesses to have a good supply, they do not need to panic as they have been."

One of the largest suppliers of gas in Worcester is city-based npower. A spokeswoman for the firm said: "We understand people's concerns but they need not worry. Power to domestic homes will not be affected, and only larger industrial firms may be affected. But that is down to contracts they have signed."

Meanwhile, Worcester News weatherman Paul Damari forecasts that the weather will, in fact, become milder.

He said: "I expect it become warmer by the beginning of December and over the Christmas period."