Drivers in Suffolk are being hit in the pocket as petrol prices reached an eight-year high following nine straight months of rises, latest RAC figures have revealed.

The average price of a litre of petrol is now 135.13p - a level not seen since late September 2013, while diesel now costs an average of 137.06p a litre, the highest price since 2014.

Rising oil prices are pushing up fuel costs, and the cost at the pump is only set to rise further, the RAC warned.

A driver filling up a 55-litre car with petrol now pays on average £3.08 more to fill up than they did at the start of June, and £11.47 more than they did in 2020.

For diesel drivers, filling a similarly sized tank now costs £2.90 more than at the start of June, and £10.46 more than it did at the end of July last year.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce warned that rising fuel costs and other factors would see the county's businesses facing "some seriously challenging headwinds" post-pandemic.

Paul Simon, head of policy and communications at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “Whether it be accelerating increases in fuel, raw materials or labour costs, Suffolk businesses are facing some seriously challenging headwinds as they plot their way through the post-pandemic economic climate.

“Suffolk Chamber has met with Treasury representatives to demonstrate the impact of growing inflationary pressures on these companies and is calling for a short-term package of measures aimed at offsetting these cost spirals to give firms time for the recovery to gain sufficient momentum.

“Equally, we are worried that unless prompt action is taken by the government, inflationary pressures and expectations could become hardwired into our economy, slowing down both growth and the levelling up agenda for years to come.”

Steve Hudson, owner of Hudson Haulage, near Elmswell, which only uses diesel, said he did not monitor prices too closely.

"Fuel does go up a lot and it's all part of the costs. You have to ride the storm," he said.

Simon Williams RAC fuel spokesman, said it could be a costly summer for families holidaying in the UK.

“Prices really are only going one way at the moment – and that’s not the way drivers want to see them going," he said.

"With a second summer staycation in full swing, it’s proving to be a particularly costly one for many families who are using their cars to holiday here in the UK.

"With so many people depending on their vehicles, there’s really nothing drivers can do to escape the high prices, and our best advice is for them to drive as economically as possible in order to try to make their money go further."