Rural households feel the pinch of war in Iran

Rural residents using oil tanks to fuel their homes say they are feeling the pinch of the war in Iran.

The UK is heavily reliant on oil and gas imports and prices have surged since the US and Israel began attacking Iran earlier this month.

Iran previously warned vessels not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, through which about 20% of the world's oil and gas is shipped.

Mum-of-three Dominique Shepherd, who lives near Thirsk, said she "wanted to cry" when she found out the price of topping up her oil tank had doubled.

"If I had just ordered it when it was at £300 things would be a lot simpler, a lot easier," she said.

"We just don't have that money lying around."

Heating oil is often used in homes across the UK and Ireland that are not connected to the gas grid.

Shepherd said the cost of oil was normally between £600 and £700 for 1,000 litres, but it had jumped to £1,258 as of last week, with prices expected to continue rising.

"It's a big worry because we then have to cut back on certain things like family days out with the children," she said.

The UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) said there had been a "rapid rise in wholesale prices, which, in turn, has increased the price distributors pay for heating oil and, consequently, raised prices for customers".

Delivery times had also been affected by higher-than-usual demand, it added.

The organisation said: "The situation in the Middle East is changing quickly, making it difficult to predict how prices will move in the coming weeks.

"If your tank is running low, the best approach is to order as normal."

In the village of Alne, near York, Bob Hayes runs a cooperative which makes group purchases of heating oil at wholesale price, which helps keep costs lower due to bulk buying and fewer deliveries.

Hayes said being part of a cooperative was "far better than going to a fuel retailer".

"When prices are very fluctuant, as they are at the moment, that contingency [distributors add to cover cost rises] can be quite significant."

Elsewhere, in the world of agriculture, farming vloggers Martin and Craig Blakey, from Church Fenton, warned the price of red diesel - used to power agricultural machinery - had risen from 72p a litre last week to more than £1.

Craig said: "It's a perfect storm.

"March is here, land is starting to dry up, tractors will be out burning diesel and it's going up faster than a space shuttle taking off."

"Farmers generally, it's going to hit very hard," added Martin.