BBC news with Marion Marshal.

Thousands of Libyans have been fleeing from the city of Sirte, one of the last strongholds of colonel Gaddafi's forces under a temporary ceasefire. The city has been under siege for weeks but Gaddafi loyalists continued to offer fierce resistence. Jonathan Head is outside Sirte.

A mass of cars crowded around two petrol tankers parked beside the road leading west from Sirte.Hoses were hurriedly pushed into petrol tanks, each car getting a few litres, enough to get them away from the besieged town.