Talks to try and avert a six-day strike on the Tyne and Wear Metro system have ended in failure.

Members of Unison voted on Tuesday to reject the latest pay offer put forward by Metro operators Nexus.

It means a six day walkout by control room workers will start on Thursday, and last through Bank Holiday Monday and next Tuesday.

But Nexus said a contingency plan of staffing the control room with managers means the Metro will still run.

Our members did not think the offer had radically changed enough to accept it

Jack Pennie, Unison

Twenty-three control room workers voted to reject the revised pay offer - the latest in the long-running dispute.

The dispute centres around five information service staff in the control room, who earn between �10,000 and �12,000.

Nexus said they were disappointed the "above average" offer had been rejected.

Jack Pennie, chair of the Unison branch, told BBC Radio Newcastle, they had no hesitation in rejecting the latest offer.

"We had a slightly revised offer from management that we took to our members to make sure they were confident of what those adjustments were.

"Our members did not think the offer had radically changed enough to accept it."

Job cuts

Nexus management said the controllers, who have levelled the action, will lose money and even run the risk of "pricing themselves out of the market".

Councillor Danny Marshall, Chairman of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority, which runs Nexus, said: "I am very disappointed the workers have turned down this excellent deal and will now strike.

"We are one of the last publicly owned railways in the country.

"Because of that, the only way we can fund above average wage increases is to put up fares, increase council taxes levies... or make cuts in expenditure which will inevitably mean jobs."

Mike Parker, Director General of Nexus, said: "Our offer, which will amount to an additional �100,000 this year for the 23 staff, has been rejected which is extremely disappointing.

"However, we intend to run a virtually full Metro service during the six-day strike by staff."