An elderly woman from Powys has become the first casualty of the fire strike in Wales.

The 76-year-old woman, from Newtown, was one of three people to die across the UK as the 48-hour dispute - the first strike for 25 years - began.

Striking firefighters abandoned their picket line to support military crews at the scene, but the woman died despite all efforts.

An RAF Green Goddess team was sent to the woman's home barely an hour after the strike began at 1800 GMT on Wednesday.

A number of striking firefighters in also crossed their own picket line to try and assist in the rescue.

The military crew arrived in just nine minutes and pulled the woman from her blazing home.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics but died later at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

A spokesman at the Carmarthen Joint Operation Control Centre said retained firefighters - who are not striking - also attended the incident shortly after the RAF personnel.

The stand-in fire crews were despatched shortly after 1904 GMT when the emergency call was received, he said.

Brigadier Aitken : providing emergency cover

Dick Pearson, Wales Regional Officer of the Fire Brigades Union, said it appeared the woman's death would not have been avoided even if a regular fire crew had been the first on the scene.

He said: "The striking firefighters did receive the message, they investigated, and they turned out to the incident.

"Firefighters are in a very difficult moral position here and in this case the serving firefighters at Newtown actually turned out to attempt to assist their community."

Common causes of fire

Unattended cooking Unsafe use of candles and nightlights Children playing with matches and lighters Smoking in bed

The Newtown incident is one of a number that the 40 Green Goddess crews in Wales have faced since taking on the role of providing fire cover.

Two cars caught fire in a street in Maesteg minutes after the stoppage began.

A Green Goddess was sent from Litchard Territorial Army Centre in Bridgend, nine miles away.

The crew put out the blaze which had spread to a lamppost.

The RAF is staffing many Green Goddesses

In north Wales a military crew based at Kinmel Bay was called to a fire in a market stall in Prestatyn.

The call came in at 1753 GMT, minutes before the fire strike started.

A crew based at the BP works in Port Talbot, south Wales, was called to a minor fire at 1840 GMT.

The ageing Green Goddesses, last seen on the streets 25 years ago, are operating out of 37 fire stations.

Police support

They are directed by special command centres in the north, south, and west staffed by military personnel and senior fire officers.

All the vehicles are accompanied by a police patrol car.

There have been a number of other emergency callouts but the MoD said they have been dealt with by retained firefighters who are not on strike.

Serving fire officers in Merthyr Tydfil attened a blaze as normal when they were called out minutes before the industrial action began.

Help lines

The crew was applauded by colleagues as it set off from the station three minutes before 1800 GMT on Wednesday to attend a car fire on the Heads of the Valleys Road between Dowlais Top and Abergavenny.

Wales' three fire services have each issued a telephone number people can ring for more information on how to protect themselves:

Mid and West Wales 24-hour helpline - 01267 223044/229286.

South Wales Fire Service home safety helpline - 0800 328 1830.

North Wales Community Fire Safety Team - 01745 343431.