Drivers employed as part of Hoyer’s UK Petroloq fuel tanker delivery team have received training to deliver medical grade oxygen to NHS hospitals treating coronavirus patients.

The potential deployment comes after the company approached the Government to see how it could both support the effort to fight the virus and protect jobs.

Jonathan Lawrence, divisional director, field operations for Petroloq, said: “The MoD quickly got in touch with us, and we began speaking directly to Air Products about how we could assist them in the critical delivery of oxygen to hospitals, supporting the NHS.

“We were asked if we could provide drivers with a Class 1 LGV licence and a Class 2 ADR licence, who were based near Air Products’ depots at Didcot in Oxfordshire and Carrington in Manchester.

“Hoyer sought volunteers from our Hemel and Stanlow depots and received a resounding response with many colleagues answering the call and willing to do their bit to help in supporting the NHS.”

Last week the first 10 Petrolog drivers from the company’s depots at Stanlow Refinery in Cheshire and Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, completed medical grade oxygen product training with Air Products.