AN urgent plea for help has been made on behalf of Devon’s rural residents and farmers who have been battered by the spike in fuel prices and are set to face “extremely difficult choices”.

The exponential surge in the global oil price means that tens of thousands of Devon residents will be facing vastly inflated bills if they need to fill their home heating tanks.

But in a double-blow for the county, steep increases in LPG, red diesel and fertiliser mean that Devon’s farming community is also taking a huge financial hit.

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin (Liberal Democrat, Torrington Rural), the cabinet member for rural affairs on Devon County Council, has written to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, about her “urgent concerns” over the fuel cost burden hitting the county, stating that the impacts of the conflict involving Iran are “already being felt acutely in rural communities”.

Last week, Ms Reeves and her counterpart Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, met with petrol retailers and energy suppliers in a bid to ensure drivers get a “fair deal at the pump” and warned she would “not tolerate” any rip-off pricing on road fuel or heating oil.

“In some cases heating oil prices reported by Devon residents have more than doubled within a matter of days, leaving many households facing the prospect of unaffordable heating bills just as they prepare to refill their tanks,” Cllr Cottle-Hunkin states in her letter.

“Alongside this, similarly steep increases are being reported in LPG, red diesel, fertiliser as well as increases in road fuel.

“These costs are fundamental to both daily life and agricultural production in rural areas, and the pace of the increases is deeply alarming for households and businesses alike.”

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin noted that around half of Devon’s residents live in rural communities, and these are often not connected to the mains gas network, therefore relying on heating oil or LPG for warmth.

A farmer herself, she said the agricultural community was facing a “perfect storm of rising input costs”.

“Red diesel and fertiliser are essential to agricultural operations, and the sharp escalation in prices threatens farm viability, food production and the resilience of the rural economy.”

And with forecourt fuel prices having also jumped, Cllr Cottle-Hunkin reiterated the plight of Devon’s residents, many of whom have no choice but to use private cars to access employment, education and healthcare.

As such, she stressed that “without swift intervention”, many households and rural and farming businesses would face “extremely difficult choices in the weeks ahead”.

“For these reasons, I urge the government to take immediate action to support rural communities facing this sudden escalation in energy and fuel costs,” she said.

“Targeted relief for households relying on heating oil and support for farmers and rural businesses facing exceptional input price increases must be considered urgently.”

Ms Reeves said last week: “I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current situation to make excess profits at consumers’ expense. I’m backing drivers and families — and I expect a fair deal at the pump.”