By Steve Schifferes BBC News Online business reporter in Manchester

As the fire brigades' conference got underway in Manchester it was clear that there was overwhelming support for industrial action among firefighters.

Within minutes of the opening speech delegates rose to their feet cheering and applauding as the chairman told them that if they stayed united they would win.

We deserve the same rate as other professional workers

Tony Bratt, Leamington Spa fire station

In the event the union representatives voted unanimously in favour of holding a national strike ballot.

About 55,000 firefighters across the UK will vote over the next few weeks on whether to stage the first national walk-out in the fire service for 25 years.

Outside the hall hundreds of fire crews staged a rally in support of their pay claim.

Unofficial action

As the strike ballot was announced firefighters hooted horns and blew whistles throughout Manchester city centre as they walked around handing out stickers to sympathetic passers-by.

Many firefighters had brought their families with them to the rally.

Robert Camshaw of Matlock fire station in Derby said he and his colleagues would not back down - and 17 of the 27 at his station had come to the rally.

Manchester firefighters told BBC News Online that they had already begun unofficial industrial action in support of the pay claim.

They are staging a one day work to rule, answering only 999 calls.

'A last resort'

Most delegates speaking to BBC News Online said they believed their colleagues would vote overwhelmingly for a strike when the ballot papers were sent out.

Firefighter Tony Bratt of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire told BBC News Online that the firefighters did not want to go on strike but, at his station, they were unanimous in feeling they had no choice.

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"It is a last resort. The only thing we can do now," he said.

He said firefighters were fed up with their low pay.

"It is about time that we got the money we are worth.

"It is a very stressful job and we deserve the same rate as other professional workers."

'Rubbish'

Firefighter Paul Wolstenholme, from the Princes Street fire station in Ipswich, told BBC News Online firefighters would "fight to the death" with Tony Blair to preserve a proper fire service.

Firefighter Matt Hassey, of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, said the firemen wanted to preserve a decent fire service which put people ahead of property.

He blamed the government for the dispute, saying it had refused local authorities the authority to negotiate a more generous pay deal.

And he added it would be the government's fault if lives were put at risk.

Mr Bratt said the government claim they were putting public safety at risk was "absolute rubbish".

We're losing people every year because they cannot afford to live here

Gareth Bradbury, Stevenage fire station

The government has promised an inquiry into pay at the fire service, but union representatives of the firefighters believe the inquiry is a cover for an attack on their terms and conditions.

Ambulance workers have already lost national agreements on terms and conditions. Firefighters now fear the same will happen to them.

So expensive

Mr Wolstenholme told the BBC that he earned �22,500 after more than 17 years of service, while his colleague, Mr Hassey, earned just �21,500 after eight years of service.

They both believe they should be paid as professionals, rather than have their pay linked to that of manual workers.

Gareth Bradbury of Stevenage fire station said feelings were running high among Hertfordshire firefighters.

"It is such an expensive area. It is very hard for us to make ends meet without taking a second job.

"We're losing people every year to other regions because they cannot afford to live here. We're just ordinary firefighters but we know that all our colleagues are 100% behind this action."