SHOCKING drone footage taken from above a busy road shows hundreds queuing for fuel as panic buying continues.

The scale of demand in Brighton was revealed in footage taken from above the Old Shoreham Road yesterday.

Hundreds of motorists eager to fill up were seen queuing for miles as the government announced it had placed the army on standby to tackle the haulier shortage.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said that ordering troops to begin preparing to take on deliveries was the 18th separate measure taken by the government since the spring to alleviate pressure on supplies.

However he acknowledged that Brexit had “no doubt” been a factor in the current problems with a continuing shortage of lorry drivers.

Mr Shapps said there were the first “very tentative” signs that the situation was beginning to stabilise with more fuel reaching filling stations.

He admitted, however, that it would take time before the pressure on the forecourts began to ease.

“There are now the first very tentative signs of stabilisation in forecourt storage which won’t be reflected in the queues as yet,” he said.

“But it is the first time that we have seen more petrol actually in the petrol stations.

“As the industry said yesterday, the sooner we can all return to our normal buying habits, the sooner the situation will return to normal.”

Petrol stations in Hollingbury and Hove remained empty on Tuesday as demand for fuel continued for the fifth day.

While police announced they were investigating a four-man brawl in Chichester reported being between two fathers and their sons.

The confrontation was filmed at an Esso petrol station in Selsey Road on Friday evening as hundreds rushed to the pumps.

Footage of the fight shared on Facebook and Twitter reportedly shows a father and son confronting another father and son over fuel.

The men were filmed throwing punches at each other in the forecourt while amused onlookers watched on before the group wrestled each other to the floor.