Firefighters went on strike for the fourth time yesterday in a dispute over pensions.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) staged the four-hour strike between 10am and 2pm.
It followed similar strikes held in September and earlier this month.
Under plans by the UK Government, firefighters will get their full pension at 60 instead of 55. The FBU says 60 is too old to be fighting fires and its members face redundancy if they fail fitness tests. Those retiring early, the union argues, would lose thousands of pounds.
The FBU has also announced that members will be balloted for other forms of industrial action in the future.
Speaking ahead of the industrial action FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “After 35 years of service, and paying at least £4,000 a year, firefighters could now receive just over £9,000 a year or the sack simply because fitness declines as they get older.
“Firefighters simply want an affordable and workable pension that reflects the job we do. But with employee costs going up, firefighters are being priced out, threatening its sustainability.”