Fire brigades in the South West are urging people to postpone traditional garden fireworks on bonfire night.

Officers are advising people not to risk displays at home on the weekend before and after 5 November during the strikes by firefighters.

They are being asked to attend professionally-organised events instead.

Meanwhile, hospitals are drawing up contingency plans for strikes as the army has said it will not automatically respond to hospital fire alarms.

Troops have trained using Green Goddesses

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are due to strike on the weekends before and after Guy Fawkes' night, as part of a campaign for a pay rise of 40%.

Devon community fire safety officer Peter Denford said: "I'm not asking people to cancel it on the 5th, as firefighters will be at work.

"But a lot of people have it at weekends because they're at work during the week."

Hospitals are preparing for dealing with strike action too.

At the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RDE), fire advisors will be on duty to investigate fire alarm calls.

Contingency plans

The advisors can either summon the hospital fire response team or call out a Green Goddess fire engine.

The RDE could also be backed up by retained fire station crews with non-FBU members from outside the city.

Mobile teams of surgeons and nurses at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital will be on alert during the strike.

They will be prepared to travel to road or industrial accidents, in case fire crews are not available to release trapped people.

A spokesperson for Derriford Hospital said they did not want to alarm people, but hospitals hade to have contingency plans for life-threatening situations.