The first national firefighters' strike for 25 years seems likely to go ahead after the main union condemned an independent review which recommended an 11% pay deal.

The review, chaired by Sir George Bain, suggested the pay rise over two years linked with changes in working practices.

The suggested offer - far less than the union's demand for 40% - comes just two days before strike action is scheduled to start.

The Fire Brigades Union, FBU, said the offer was "insulting and derisory" and had been greeted with "absolute fury" by firefighters.

Strike dates

13-15 November Starts and ends at 1800 GMT 22-30 November Starts/ ends 0900 4-12 December Starts/ ends 0900 16-24 December Starts/ ends 0900

The government has urged the union to use the report as the basis of negotiations with the local authority employers.

Sir George said firefighters were not as badly off as sometimes thought.

"Taking into account the very generous pension entitlement, the holiday arrangements, the good job security, firemen are actually not badly rewarded.

"The recruitment and retention figures back this up. There's about 40 applications for every vacancy in the fire service."

Meanwhile the union representing airport firefighters and security staff has voted to take strike action in the run up to Christmas.

The Transport and General Workers Union, which represents staff at seven airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, said it would stage six one-day strikes in a dispute over pay.

Firefighters and emergency fire control staff have been "modernising" for years without a pay rise. Why should they back down? J Drake, Gloucs

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FBU leader Andy Gilchrist said there was nothing new in Sir George's long-awaited independent report, which suggested a 4% rise this year followed by 7% in 2003.

He said: "I don't consider 11% over two years to be either substantial or significant."

Mr Gilchrist said the local authority employers had already offered more than that - 16% - in the summer.

However, another firefighters' union, the Retained Firefighters Union (RFU) - which has a no-strike policy - said the review could "form the basis" for negotiation and settlement.

Fire service minister Nick Raynsford said he regarded the proposals as an "exciting, far-reaching" package.

Urging all parties to engage in further negotiation, he told BBC News: "I believe most fair-minded people would regard it as a good basis for the future terms of the fire service."

He warned any pay hike must be linked to reform, increased flexibility and improved partnerships with other agencies.

The two sides are due to meet on Tuesday for what the FBU called "last chance" talks to avert the strike.

The first scheduled strike was cancelled after negotiation but no deal has been reached.