Petrol is on the verge of returning to the sky high prices of last summer within a matter of weeks, claim the RAC.

It believes that the combination of rising wholesale prices, an increase in fuel duty and the end of the reduced rate of VAT could lead to a return of the £1.20 highs seen in July and August last year.

Calling on the Government to drop the planned September rise in duty, RAC spokesman John Franklin said: "Average petrol prices will soon be 20p a litre more than they were at the start of the year, which adds a whopping £11 to the cost of filling up an average tank.

“The rising price of oil is certainly a factor in this, however it does seem to be the case that petrol prices rise quickly when oil goes up but fall slowly when the price of oil drops.

"And to add further misery the Government will be putting 2.3 pence on the price with the fuel duty increase on 1 September.”

Franklin believes with the additional increase in December, when VAT reverts back to 17.5%, it looks more likely that petrol prices could hit last summers record high of £1.20 a litre.