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The cost of filling an average family car with petrol has hit £100 in the UK for the first time as fuel prices keep rising.

The RAC motoring group called it "a truly dark day" as the cost of filling a 55-litre tank with petrol reached £100.27 and £103.43 for diesel, the BBC reported. 

Soaring fuel prices have been driven by the war in Ukraine and moves to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian oil.

There are also concerns petrol retailers are not passing on a recent cut in fuel duty to consumers.

The RAC's fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: "While fuel prices have been setting new records on a daily basis, households up and down the country may never have expected to see the cost of filling an average-sized family car reach three figures."

He urged the government to offer more financial support to drivers, including a cut in VAT on fuel.

"March's 5p fuel duty cut now looks paltry as wholesale petrol costs have already increased by five-times that amount since March," he said.

On Wednesday, rival motoring organisation the AA accused the RAC of adding to the problem with "speculation" that prices could climb as high as £2 a litre soon.

But Mr Williams rejected the criticism, telling the BBC his forecasts did not affect "what retailers do".

It comes as some UK forecourts are already selling petrol above £2 a litre, according to price comparison website PetrolPrices.