The owner of a haulage company who has worked in the industry for 60 years today expressed concerns over the rising cost of fuel - amid fears of a new protest.

Dave Rutson, proprietor of Rutson and Porter Removal and Haulage company, in Dovercourt, said he felt deep sympathy for the thousands of truckers struggling to make a living with the increasing cost of fuel.

Mr Rutson, who is also a Harwich town councillor, said: "I have sympathy for all the hauliers, it's just got out of control what we are paying for fuel."

He said his business had made serious losses since the steep rise in fuel costs, which have soared by up to 5p a litre in the last few days.

He said: "We are £7,000 down at the moment and that's purely on fuel costs, it's costing us a lot of money."

The cost of petrol and diesel has hit record highs this month, with the cost of unleaded petrol rising to 108.5p per litre.

Diesel prices have also risen to 117.4p. East Anglia has the third-highest price for unleaded petrol.

Motoring organistions are calling on the Government to ditch its 2p per litre fuel duty increase, due to take effect from October 1.