Talks aimed at averting the first firefighters' strike for 25 years have "stalled", according to union leaders.

At the end of the fourth day of negotiations, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Andy Gilchrist said local authority employers had still not come up with an acceptable pay offer.

But employers said there had been "very encouraging progress in key areas", adding that they had requested talks be suspended until next Tuesday to give them time to devise a new pay formula.

Mr Gilchrist said a 48-hour strike due to start at 1800 GMT next Wednesday would go ahead unless a proposal worth putting to his members was made.

So far employers have offered a pay rise of 4%, far short of the FBU's call for a 40% increase to �30,000 for fully-qualified firefighters.

'Considerable progress'

Leaving the meeting Mr Gilchrist said: "I am disappointed that we are having to wait until Tuesday.

"I hope this concentrates the minds."

The FBU leader said "considerable progress" had been made on some of the issues being negotiated.

These include a new pay formula and equality for retained firefighters and control room staff.

But Mr Gilchrist added: "The process has now stalled because of the absence of a key figure.

"The employers have requested more time to put together new proposals on pay."

Eight-day strikes

Many firefighters are said to be frustrated by the lack of progress in the talks, which are now in their fourth round.

Strike dates

13-14 November 22-30 November 4-12 December 16-24 December All start and end at 0900 GMT

The latest meetings follow a decision by the FBU to cancel an eight-day walk-out, which would have started on Wednesday.

If no agreement is reached the action beginning on 13 November will be followed by a series of eight-day strikes, between the end of November and Christmas.

There has already been some unofficial industrial action in parts of London, although union leaders say this has now been contained.

Emergency cover during the strikes would be provided by the military, equipped with obsolete Green Goddess fire tenders.

After Tuesday's meeting Mr Gilchrist said there had been agreement for a new pay formula for the fire service linked to the pay of professional employees.

Employers had also accepted the union's claim for pay parity between retained firefighters and control room officers.

But they have argued that any pay offer must be linked to modernisation.

Employers are waiting for an interim report from Sir George Bain, who is leading an independent review into fire service pay and conditions.