A fuel filter (2) is provided which comprises a manifold 4, a connector element 6, a filter bowl 8, a filter element 110, an inlet shutoff valve 38 36, an outlet shutoff valve 66, 56, an inlet port 10, an inlet passage 18, an outlet port 12, an outlet passage 60 and a relief valve 24, 132 in which the connector element 6 is fixed to the manifold 4, and the filter bowl 8 is reversibly fixed to the connector element 6, the connector element 6 and the manifold 4 define a chamber and the chamber is split into a second inlet chamber 20 and a second outlet chamber 50 by the relief valve 24, 132. The filter bowl 8 is adapted to reversibly receive the filter element 110 and is so configured that when the filter element 110 is located within the filter bowl 8 and the filter bowl 8 attached to the connection element6, the filter element 110 divides the space defined by the connector element 6 and filter bowl 8 into an inlet filter chamber 92 and an outlet filter chamber 64, the inlet port 10 mouths through a surface of the manifold 4, and the inlet port 10 and inlet filter chamber 92 are in fluid communication via the inlet passage 18 and the second inlet chamber 20, the outlet port 12 mouths through a surface of the manifold 4 and the outlet port 12 and outlet filter chamber 64 are in fluid communication via the outlet passage 62 and the second outlet chamber 50, the inlet shutoff valve 38,36 is biased by a biasing means 124 into a closed configuration which prevents fuel flowing along the inlet passage 18 when the filter bowl 8 is not fully connected to the connection element 6, and connection of the filter bowl 8 to the connection element 6 causes the inlet shutoff valve 38,36 to be impelled into an open configuration which allows fuel to flow along the inlet passage 18, the outlet sh utoff valve 66, 56 is biased by a biasing means 68 into a closed configuration which prevents fuel flowing along the outlet passage 62, the outlet shutoff valve 66, 56 is configured to move into a closed configuration which prevents fuel flowing along the outlet passage 62 when the filter bowl 8 with a filter element 110 within it is not fully connected to the connection element 6 or there is no filter element 110 within the filter bowl 8, and connection of the filter bowl 8 with a filter element 110 within it to the connection element 6 causes the outlet shutoff valve 66, 56 to be impelled into an open configuration which allows fuel to flow along the outlet passage 32, and the relief valve 24, 132 is biased by a biasing means 118 into a closed configuration so that fuel flowing between the inlet passage 18 and outlet passage 62 has to pass through the filter element 110, and movement of the relief valve 24, 132 into an open configuration allows fuel to flow between the inlet passage 18 and the outlet passage 62 via the relief valve 24, 132 without the fuel passing through the filter element 110.