Sacked workers who have spent nearly two years on a picket line have held a march in north Wales.

The march, through the streets of Caernarfon, was held to celebrate a victory at an industrial tribunal which ruled that 87 workers had been unfairly dismissed from the local Friction Dynamex factory.

Bill Morris has backed Friction Dynamex workers

The workers were sacked by their American employer, Craig Smith, after going on strike over pay and conditions.

More than 1,500 people attended the march, on Saturday, which was led through the streets by brass bands.

Speaking at the rally, Bill Morris the General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union said the workers were heroes.

And he renewed his call for a change in UK employment laws which had allowed the workers to be sacked eight weeks into the dispute.

He said: "We are willing and ready to work with government, but we want from government the protection and fairness.

A rally was held in Caernarfon

"The employers have had the favours, now the workers should get the fairness."

A tribunal concluded in November that Mr Smith had unfairly dismissed his staff without making any attempt to resolve the 18-month-old dispute.

Mr Smith has lodged an appeal against the decision and a ruling on whether he can contest the tribunal's findings is expected in the coming weeks.

The workers at the factory, which makes brake and clutch components, began a continuous 24-hour strike in April 2001 after the introduction of a pay cut and other changes to working conditions at the plant.

They have continued the picket - even since winning the tribunal in November.