Prices of domestic fences have rocketed to record levels as a result the of severe winter weather this year in Britain and a house building boom

Gardeners have been hit by a national shortage of fences at the height of the DIY season - with panels changing hands for up to four times their usual price on the black market.

Many DIY chains and hardware stores have run out of traditional lap fencing, which is being offered for up to £80 a panel to panic buyers on the black market.

There has also been a spate of thefts of wooden fence panels from people's gardens.

Industry experts say the crisis is worse than 2007 when severe gale-force winds last sparked such a huge surge in demand from homeowners needing to replace wrecked fences.

The Daily Telegraph reported that a London based firm, Premier Sheds & Fencing has posted a prominent warning on its website.

It reads: 'Due to high demand and shortage of fencing timber, prices are changing daily. Please phone for current prices.'

Prices for its six-foot fence panels have risen twice in a week - up 50 per cent from £20 to £30 - and they are still out of stock.

Simone Gallen, editor of magazine Fencing & Landscaping News, said that there are reports of DIY enthusiasts going to great lengths to grab any available timber as demand outstrips supply from sawmills.

She said: "There is panic buying with prices soaring since the storms at the end of 2013.