Esso, which operated four of the 10 sites, said by mid-afternoon that three had been cleared and it expected to reopen all of them “shortly”.

Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East and chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, called the protests “deeply irresponsible”.

He said: “On the bigger picture they will alienate much of Britain that will actually be supportive of their wider cause.

“The economic damage and hardship this will inflict will be life-threatening and put people in danger.

“They are actually playing into Putin’s hands to sow discord in the UK when our priority is to stand up and support Ukraine.”