Morrisons has cut its petrol prices to a maximum of 99.7p per litre at all its UK forecourts.

The supermarket giant said this is the first time fuel has been "sold nationally" for less than £1 per litre since February 2016.

It has also cut its diesel price to no more than 104.7p per litre.

Morrisons' head of fuel Ashley Myers said: "This cut will help people who are travelling to work, those shopping for essentials, and those assisting the elderly and vulnerable.

"We want to play our full part in reducing the cost of living and feeding the nation at this difficult time."

UK Government figures show the average cost per litre and petrol and diese l on May 4 was 107.6p and 114.9p respectively.

The price drop means filling a 55-litre family car is around £7 cheaper than seven weeks ago.

The reduction in the cost of fuel has been driven by a collapse in oil prices due to lower demand as global economies shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brent crude oil was trading at around 64 US dollars per barrel at the beginning of the year but sunk to under 19 dollars in April.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: "There is a darker side to any large price cuts - they heap yet more pressure on smaller independent fuel retailers, who in some cases are already fighting for survival as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

"It remains to be seen how long prices this low will persist for, with some early indications that wholesale petrol prices have started to rise as a result of the world oil price creeping up."