Around 150 vehicles staged a go-slow protest along the M56 and M53 before a demonstration outside the plant on Sunday evening, calling on the government to reduce fuel duty.

The Stanlow Fuel Protest and Direct Action Group recruited supporters through Facebook.

Organiser Ian Charlesworth from Flintshire runs a construction business and said he had been forced to get rid of two of his company vans in the last three months and lay off four staff.

He said: “People are suffering already from the high cost of fuel as they are having to give up jobs they can’t afford to drive to.”

Shell said the protest had not affected production at the plant.