With their lorry horns blaring, dozens of hauliers took their protest against record-high diesel prices to the streets of London.
Drivers from as far afield as Wales joined in a noisy and colourful cavalcade of trucks which lined Park Lane in the heart of the capital.
First to arrive was driver Mick Clifton, 37, who works for the JS Cook company based at Moulton Chapel, near Spalding, Lincolnshire.
He said: "The price of fuel at the moment is ridiculous. We just don't know whether our jobs are going to be safe. If Gordon Brown doesn't do something about this soon he'll be out of office."
Travelling down from Lincolnshire was Melvyn Bright, 57, who runs Mel's Taxi service at Surfleet, near Spalding.
Mr Bright said: "The price of diesel at the moment is absolutely disgusting. All we are trying to do is earn a living. If fuel prices go up my earnings go down."
Another arriving in London was Huw Thomas, 47, who runs a timber haulage company in Rhayader, Powys, Wales.
He said: "Fuel prices are absolutely ridiculous. It's going to finish us in a few weeks the way things are going. We have to make our presence felt today. I would certainly be in favour of blockading oil refineries."
Supporting the protest in London was Road Haulage Association chief executive Roger King who urged the Government to abandon plans to raise fuel duty by 2p next October.
Many of the protesters had come from Kent and a delegation handed in a symbolic coffin to the Houses of Parliament where they were received by Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for the Kent constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
