Thousands of people left stranded by the fuel crisis breathed a sigh of relief last night as fuel supplies began to trickle back after a handful of tankers began to refill the pumps.

But while the end of the blockade was good news for the scores of motorists, residents and businesses have been warned they may wait for up to a week for things to get back to normal.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn insisted the NHS would remain on red alert after turning up to the accident and emergency department at the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, yesterday.

He said the health service was still under pressure from the fuel crisis and hospitals were continuing to experience major problems.

He praised hospital staff for coping so well with the crisis.

As the Brighton Health Care NHS Trust announced it had been forced to cancel all non-emergency operations, the Health Secretary also spoke to hospital bosses about the emergency situation.

He was met by A&E consultant Geoff Bryant, along with the chief executive of the trust, Stuart Welling, and chairman Professor Michael Whiting, who gave him a tour of the ward. Mr Milburn decided to visit the hospital after giving a speech at an NHS management conference at the Brighton Centre.

The Minister quizzed staff on how they were managing to get to work and how badly the crisis was affecting hospital supplies.

He said: "I think the staff of the NHS have done an extraordinary job but this remains serious and I have real concerns about the next few days.

"There have been movements today to indicate fuel is getting through but services will not be able to return to normal at the flick of a switch."

Mr Milburn denied the Government was guilty of causing panic by calling the fuel shortage a crisis situation.

"In hospitals throughout the country the fuel shortage has had a very real impact indeed," he said.

"Operations have been cancelled and doctors and nurses have been finding it difficult to get to work. This is why we have taken this action to put hospitals on emergency measures."

Yesterday, the Minister had hinted the Government would address the issue of high fuel prices within months.

A spokesman for the trust said: "Everyone here has pulled together in response to the fuel shortage. Staff have been sharing cars and some have even been staying at the hospital overnight because their cars are out of petrol."

Hospital chiefs have said it could take up to two weeks for services to return to normal.

In West Sussex, health managers fear services will not be back to normal until next week. Health and social care bosses have been holding regular crisis talks to see how the fuel shortage will affect medical work.

Health authority associate director Brian Hughes said: "If any member of the public is unable to keep their appointment it would be very helpful if they could telephone the hospital to make alternative arrangements."

Brighton and Hove Council's environmental services, building and road management departments have started to prioritise transport.

Social services are running as normal.

There were large tailbacks in Dyke Road, Hove, as the Tesco service station reopened for business.

Buses had to be diverted to avoid the congestion. One observer said: "It happened very suddenly and then there were just loads and loads of cars waiting to refuel."

The bus crisis looks to have been averted, with fuel supplies expected to arrive today.

Brighton and Hove Buses managing director Roger French was last night promised a tanker would arrive at the Hove depot from Hampshire today.

A Sunday service had been threatened for the whole of next week, which would have cost businesses millions of pounds.

Mr French said: "We will bring back a full service if the fuel arrives. We hope we won't have to fall back on our contingency plans to preserve diesel. I am far more hopeful than I have been for some days."

Sussex Ambulance Service has refilled its fuel stores and will operate 100 per cent of services again by Tuesday.

Director of operations Trevor Anderson said: "We have had three tanker deliveries in the last day and we are full to the brim now, with enough to last us 45 days.

"Our big worry was getting staff to work but they have been given priority and the petrol retailers have been excellent."

East Sussex County Council is making reductions to its own bus services but school and commuter journeys will run as normal.

Several garages across Sussex were filling up last night.

Hospitals and the emergency services are stocked up with fuel while schools are said to be running low but not to danger levels.