Firefighters' leaders have postponed setting fresh strike dates but will forge ahead with a 24-hour walkout next week in the absence of a new pay offer.

Fire Brigades Union chief Andy Gilchrist, speaking after a meeting of union leaders on Friday, said he hoped for a more "positive route" to be put forward by the employers side.

Officials of the FBU gathered in London to consider their next step as employers met for their own talks in Birmingham.

PLANNED STRIKES

21 January: 24 hours 28 January: 48 hours 1 February: 48 hours

Mr Gilchrist said there was still a lot of "anger and emotion" among firefighters.

It had hardened their resolve to go ahead with the first strike of 2003, set for Tuesday and lasting 24 hours.

But following reports that the FBU would announce more walk-outs beyond that and two further 48-hour strikes, Mr Gilchrist said: "The executive... will consider that issue at a later date."

Ready for stoppages

He said there was an "extreme form of disappointment" that local authority employers were sticking to a pay offer of 4%, rising to 11% over two years.

The union has estimated that 4,500 jobs will be cut over the next four years and is holding out for an improved offer.

Other union officials suggested earlier in the day that they were ready for more stoppages.

Dave Williams, secretary of the union's branch in Cheshire, said: "The employers appear to have their hands tied and it does not look as though there is any prospect of a compromise from the government.

I do not have any high hopes of an early settlement Firefighter Nigel Stroud

Click here for a firefighter's view

"We have no alternative but to continue with our strike.

"The mood around the country is that every time we have called off strikes, the position from the employers and the government has hardened."

Steve Underhill, secretary of the union's Somerset branch, said: "We are determined to win a fair pay rise. But this dispute is not just about pay now, it is also about jobs."

The 24-hour strike set for 21 January is scheduled to be followed by 48-hour stoppages on 28 January and 1 February.

'Desperate act'

The two sides in the dispute met earlier this week, with the employers saying they will respond to the union's concerns over the Bain report on the fire service's future.

The Tories are calling on the government to ban further fire strikes.

They are concerned troops being called up to cover for striking firefighters could soon be involved in military action in Iraq.

But Mr Gilchrist, questioned about this after Friday's meeting, warned that if the government took such action it would be a "desperate and unnecessary act".

"We want to get back to negotiating a resolution to this dispute," he said.