A fuel delivery stoppage due for 21 August has been called off by union officials.

The walk-out by Conoco drivers had been called over plans to contract out fuel delivery to a distribution company.

The stoppage would have disrupted deliveries of fuel to hundreds of Jet garages throughout the UK.

However, a spokesman for the Transport and General Workers' Union said: "The strike has been called off following 10 hours of talks between ourselves and the company."

Contingency Plans

A strike ballot among Conoco's 130 TGWU drivers had shown 102 in favour of strike action and eight against.

Contingency plans had been put in place by Conoco to avoid any potential fuel shortages.

The company had also said most filling stations would be able to cope with a 24-hour stoppage.

The union said it had not been given guarantees on pensions, profit-related pay and share options for drivers should a distribution company take over the work.

Following talks the TGWU has now agreed in principle new pay and conditions, which will be put to staff.

Five depots

Dave Blakemore, Conoco's marketing manager, had warned strike action would not be in the interests of either the company or the union's members.

Conoco depots at Immingham on Humberside, Jarrow on Tyneside, Plymouth, Belfast, and Kingsbury, Warwickshire, would have been hit by the stoppage.

American-based oil group Conoco took over Yorkshire-based Jet 40 years ago and supplies fuel to its 600 outlets across the UK.

Almost a year ago supplies to petrol stations across the UK were hit after demonstrators blockaded refineries.

Pumps ran dry as farmers and hauliers picketed outside fuel plants for more than a week.