Finding cheap fuel within the UK has become an impossible task for motorists – searching for a petrol station to fill up and save themselves a bit of cash.

Despite the fuel prices becoming varied across the country, and that includes the North East, independent filling stations are undercutting big supermarket chains.

In County Durham, motorists feel like they have found the 'cheapest in the region' and have been hailing it a ‘hidden gem’ in the heart of the region after spotting petrol for as low as 137.9p and diesel as low as 154.7p.

People that have visited G.W Holmes & Sons at the Etherley Moor Jet filling station in Bishop Auckland have been shocked – as they are claiming that it’s the cheapest fuel in the North East.

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Throughout the last few months, the garage has hit headlines for offering fuel much cheaper than other competitors – with those that have used it travelling from miles around to get the amazing deal. 

One member of the public told The Northern Echo: "The garage is amazing, they have shown the big name brands up and have shown that independent companies deserve to be backed by motorists."

News of the ‘cheapest fuel in the North East’ comes after analysis that showed a reduction in fuel prices last month “should have been far bigger”.

The RAC said the average price of petrol in the UK fell by 8.4p per litre in December to 151.1p, while the price of diesel dropped by 9.4p per litre to 174.0p.

This came after fuel prices decreased by around 6p per litre in November.

But the RAC claimed that wholesale prices mean a litre of petrol and diesel should have been around 11p and 14p cheaper at the end of 2022 respectively.

This was even allowing for a retailer profit margin of 10p per litre, which is 3p more than the long-term average.

The RAC noted that Costco’s filling stations – which can only be used by the retailer’s members – are charging an average of 137.3p per litre for petrol and 158.4p per litre for diesel.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “On the face of it, December looks like it was a good month for drivers, with 9p coming off at the pumps on top of November’s 6p, but there’s no question that the drop should have been far bigger given how far wholesale prices have come down.

“For weeks we’ve been calling on the big four supermarkets to cut their prices more substantially to give drivers a fairer deal when they fill up, so even though they have reduced their prices collectively by more than 10p a litre in December, they are still nowhere near where they should be given the scale of the drop in wholesale prices.”