BASINGSTOKE motorists have flocked to petrol stations in their thousands over the last week as panicbuying set-in across the country.

Several petrol stations across the town were forced to close after long queues formed on forecourts and adjoining roads over the course of the weekend.

By Tuesday, the situation had got so bad that according to one motorist, only two supermarkets in the town still had fuel.

However, the Prime Minister has since said that the situation is stabilising, but several petrol stations remained closed yesterday evening.

You can read our full coverage in this week's paper. Also in this week's paper:

  • A man has admitted trying to snatch a two-year-old girl from a pram in Eastrop park.
  • An 88-year-old man from Basingstoke has been overwhelmed after two ‘kindhearted’ strangers stopped to help him, after he fell in his garden and broke his arm.
  • A businessman who opened a craft beer off licence in the town has criticised the borough council for failing to support local businesses.
  • Major plans to regenerate and extend The Anvil and Haymarket theatres are in the pipeline, the Gazette can exclusively reveal. Read the full story in tomorrow's paper.
  • A Basingstoke councillor has criticised a police decision crack down on car meet events in the town.
  • A man who took advantage of a 16-year-old girl by plying her with drugs and alcohol before sexually assaulting her has been spared jail.
  • A wildlife charity has issued advice to Basingstoke residents after a suspected outbreak of a severe viral disease among rabbits.
  • A council committee has fixed a date to vote on the revised planning application for a controversial storage and distribution centre for online giant Amazon.
  • All that, plus: The latest cases from Basingstoke Magistrates' Court.
  • Two pages of your letters to the editor.
  • The best photos from this month's theme in our Camera Club
  • Eight pages of puzzles
  • The latest news from our communities.
  • Business news.
  • Three pages of entertainment news.
  • Four pages of sports news. And much more!

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