An inquiry being launched into fuel pricing by the Office of Fair Trading is said to be 'long overdue'.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said it will conduct a six week long investigation into how oil companies and filling stations set their prices.

Since 2007 fuel prices have risen dramatically above the rate of inflation, diesel spiking at nearly £1.50 earlier this year. The Forum of Private Business said this has significantly driven up the cost of doing business for many small firms.