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Rachael Lovell spends over 拢50 a week on fuel, just ferrying her children back and forth to school, and has been forced to cut back on normal weekend treats:

"Whereas in the past we'd have taken the children into town on a weekend, to go shopping and have lunch, we now have to forego those special treats so we can afford the extra fuel costs.

"It's difficult to car share in a rural area - the population is so low, the chances of finding people who're going to the same place as you are minimal."

She is just one example of the way the rocketing cost of fuel is affecting people nationwide - rural areas in particular are having to count the costs of travel generally.

The Lovell family need to use their car

The South Herefordshire village of Ewyas Harold is a prime example - 10 miles from Hereford, it's inhabitants are having to adapt to changing lifestyles, as they are forced to tighten their belts.

The school run

Parents with children attending the local primary school are just one sector feeling the pinch.

Rachael lives in Lower Mascoed, situated nearly four miles from Ewyas Harold.

On an average day, she does a 16 mile round trip to take two of her children to school there.

She then travels a further 20 miles to and from Fairfield High at Peterchurch when her son is doing extra curricular activities.

Rachael's concerns:

• No school bus service for children out of catchment.
• Over 拢50 a week is spent ferrying children to and from school.
• Car sharing is a necessity to make ends meet.
• Weekend treats have stopped because of rocketing fuel costs.