A photo of a man poking fun at panicking petrol buyers has become the latest internet sensation.

In the photo, Dickon Johnstone from Aylesbury is shown standing outside a BP forecourt with a sign that reads: “Severe shortage of common sense. Don’t panic. Receive your FREE complimentary slap on the head today”.

Already Dickon has nearly 130,000 ‘Likes’ on his Facebook page and his message was retweeted by John Prescott who said Dickon should be in government.

Dickon admits borrowing the idea for his sign from his friend Leanne Norris.

He told his local newspaper – The Bucks Free Press – that his aim was to make drivers chuckle while they were in the queue. He said most people had a laugh along with him but nobody took him up on his offer of a free slap!