Sign of the times (From Warrington Guardian)

Sign of the times

PETROL Prices have hit the £1 a litre mark in Warrington - forcing stations to refit their signs to accommodate the extra digit.

This Total station in Knutsford Road became one the of the first to break through the psychological 'pound' barrier.

The Grappenhall garage had the extra digit fitted on Tuesday night so it could go up from 99.9p to 102.9p.

The garage is luckier than others though - because it is hand operated only the number face needed changing.

At garages that are computer operated, the whole system may need changing.

Petrol prices have shot up in the short term after Hurricane Katrina damaged vital oil rigs off America's south coast, adding to higher prices caused by middle east security concerns.

It may drop again in the next few weeks but long-term trends are it will keep going up.

The station attendant 46-year-old Doug Duxberry has been working in the business for 20 years - when he started, petrol cost just more than 60p a litre.