Dozens of cars broke down yesterday after filling up at a Tesco Express fuel station in Eastville, Bristol.

The station was promptly closed and police called in to help deal with the stricken vehicles.

Initial reports suggested the diesel and petrol tanks had been mixed up but Tesco has now confirmed the issue was down to water in the tank.

Safoor Malik, who was at the petrol station, said: “Four cars are broken down, God knows how many there are more.

“They have mixed up petrol with diesel at the pump.

“They’ve put the wrong fuel in the pumps.”

A spokesman for Tesco later said: “Our preliminary investigation has found water in the fuel at one of the storage tanks at our Bristol East Extra petrol station.”

Tesco has confirmed that the issue is not thought to affect any of its other filling stations.