Firefighters from across the UK have demonstrated in Belfast over pay levels, in a row which could lead to the first national strike for 25 years.

Hundreds of firefighters congregated in Belfast city centre on Saturday afternoon.

Fire crews have been staging a UK-wide call to bring the basic wage for a firefighter with four year's training up to �30,000 from about �21,500 - a rise of almost 40%.

We have said all along that we want to avoid confrontation

Fire Brigades Union

They also want a new pay formula to replace one devised in 1977 linking firefighters' earnings to those of male manual workers.

The Fire Brigades Union says that for the first time in 25 years there is a real danger of a national strike.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering a request to hold an independent review over pay and modernisation of the fire service.

A spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said he was speaking to both parties in confidence to reach a conclusion "fair to the fire fighters and to the public they serve".

About 95% of the 2,000 uniformed staff in Northern Ireland are members of the union.

'Fair treatment'

Saturday's demonstration saw firefighters parading through central Belfast behind a lone piper and fire engine, blowing whistles and hooting horns.

Fire Brigades Union president Mick Harper told the demonstrators: "We have made a reasonable request for a reasonable reward; our claim is modest."

He said the pay formula devised after the only national firefighters strike in 1977 had initially served members well but was now out of date.

Insisting that he did not want another strike, Mr Harper said: "We are not greedy, we are not asking for the earth, we are asking for fairness".

Weeks of marches

In past weeks, thousands of firefighters have attended rallies staged in cities across the UK including Swansea, Manchester, Glasgow and London.

Another London rally is due to be held on 2 September, when the union and pay body will meet for talks.

It has been warned that these are "last-ditch" talks which, if they do not lead to an agreement, will lead to a strike ballot on 12 September and possible industrial action in October.