More than a third of drivers in Britain were unable to buy fuel at the height of the shortages crisis, figures suggest.

Some 37% were unable to buy fuel over the past two weeks, because it was not available, when surveyed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between October 6 and 17.

This is more than twice the proportion (15%) that reported difficulties when asked by the stats body two weeks prior.

Petrol station stock levels now fully recovered, according to figures this week from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Stock levels dropped to a low of 15% on September 25 due to panic-buying which saw many filling stations run dry.

The ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, of 4,004 people, found that the proportion of adults struggling to buy food and medicine remained roughly the same as it was a fortnight ago.

About one in six adults (16%) reported they had not been able to buy essential food items because they were not available (down from 17%).

The proportion unable to buy non-essential food items remained at 23%.

The same proportion of adults reported waiting longer for prescriptions (13%) or having to go to more pharmacies to find what they needed (4%).

Overall, 47% said everything they needed had been available to buy – a 10 percentage point fall from two weeks ago.