FORMER mayor Derek Lacey has been urging residents in Chesham to boycott the pumps this week and join a national protest against high petrol prices.

Cllr Lacey, who was town mayor five years ago and lives in Overdale Road, Chesham, joined thousands of motorists around the country who stayed away from petrol stations on Tuesday , and plan to stay away every Monday thereafter.

He said: 'It's going to send out a message that we have had enough. The garage forecourts are going to lose money, not only from motorists not buying petrol but people who won't get their newspapers and shopping.'

Cllr Lacey said he regularly filled up in Watford where the price of unleaded petrol was as low as 82.7p per litre - he said in Chesham it was 85.9p, even though it had gone down by 1p on Friday.

Petrol prices in Britain are the highest in Europe, approaching 90p per litre at many filling stations nationwide with some charging as much as 97.8p.

The Boycott the Pumps campaign states on its website that for every £50 fill-up the Government receives £37 and says: 'The Government are bleeding motorists dry. Why? Because they can. As long as public apathy continues, and we keep paying ludicrous prices for our petrol, the Government will keep laying on the tax.'

A Treasury spokesman said tax on petrol was set at about 72 per cent, and revenue went to public transport and other Government spending priorities.