What began as about 50 demonstrators complaining about the increasing prices of fuel at 8.30pm on Thursday quickly doubled to about 100 by the end of the night.
Cheshire Police were at the scene from 8.40pm until about 12.40am when the protest die
d down.
Tom Haughton, a farmer from Sandbach, is a member of pressure group TransAction 2007.
The group was not behind this incident which involved blockading access to Oil Sites Road and causing Shell to delay the movement of fuel by road.
Tom explained: "It was a mixture of individuals – some farmers, other hauliers and even some members of the public who heard about the protest and came along later.
"People are really geared up about the state of fuel prices and Stanlow is a key place to go.
"It is a central refinery which supplies the country."
People came from all over Cheshire, North Wales, mid-Wales and Manchester to vent their opinions.
Tom added: "We met again over the weekend and before long there will be major disruption coming.
"In the next fortnight we could target Stanlow again but it could be another plant such as the one in Milford Haven."
Cheshire Police spokesman Dave Murray said the protests were peaceful and that no arrests had been made.
He said: "All the protesters left the area by 12.40am."
A statement from TransAction 2007 on their internet site said: "We sympathise with protesters and their motives behind conducting such a staged demonstration to the Government, outlining to them how the haulage and farming industry is crying out for some kind of relief by way of an essential user rebate.
"TransAction 2007 would not enter into any act that is outside of 'lawful' that includes refinery 'blockades'."
Member of TransAction 2007, Mike Presneil, added: "Police are always made aware when we protest and they are always legal."
Public affairs assistant from Shell, Rachel Evans, said: "Shortly after 8.30pm on Thursday, May 1, a group of about 50 people gathered close to the Shell Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port to protest against high fuel prices.
"The group temporarily blocked access to Oil Sites Road and caused Shell to delay the movement of fuel by road.
"Normal road movements were quickly resumed and the protesters left the area at midnight."
The full article contains 408 words and appears in Evening Leader Wrexham newspaper.
