Firefighters across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire will go on strike for 24 hours next week – the longest walkout so far in its ongoing dispute with the Government.

It was announced today (Thursday) that the strike will start at 9am next Thursday, June 12.

A further strike will be held on Saturday, June 21, between 10am and 5pm.

In addition to the strikes, called by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), firefighters have been told not to do any voluntary overtime or train strikebreakers.

It is the latest in a series of walkouts in a dispute over pensions.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU, said: “It is as ever a difficult decision for us to take, but the only way for us to resolve this unnecessary and costly dispute is for the government to start listening to reason.”

The two strikes will be the thirteenth and fourteenth over pensions since September last year.