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Police guards were put on petrol tankers driving through Italy on Wednesday as the effects of the third day of a hauliers’ strike began to bite.

Many areas of the country are suffering a severe shortage of fuel and basic foods and some factories were forced to close after Truck drivers blocked roads and border crossings.

They defied a government order to return to work and insisted they would stay out for the full five days of their planned protest over high fuel prices, long working hours and foreign competition.

In theory drivers who disobey the order could have their licences revoked. Those who block ports and roads risk jail sentences of up to four years.

However, thousands of Trucks were still parked on main roads on Wednesday as their drivers stood nearby, huddled around fires and improvised barbecue grills.

The protest left many supermarket shelves empty, as perishable goods ran out and new stocks went undelivered.

“This is not good. They have no fruit, vegetables and milk,” said Giovanna Passo, a 40-year-old shopper at a downtown store in Rome. “It’s a disaster for my children.”

Many service stations across the country had already run out of fuel. In Rome, the few pumps still working attracted long lines that spilled into streets, causing further jams.

Petrol was rationed at the Vatican, where officials ordered pumps in the tiny city-state to sell no more than £15 worth to each Vatican employee.

Some Trucks were reaching Rome under police escort, in an effort to ensure supplies for emergency services and public transportation.