Council bosses in Gloucestershire have appealed to residents to keep the county safe during the fire strike.

Four of the county's 20 fire stations - at Stroud, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cirencester - are set to close for the duration of the dispute.

It is hoped the remaining 16, staffed by part-time 'retained' firefighters, will stay open.

And a team of six green goddess fire engines will be on hand to deal with emergencies in the rest of the county.

Moral issue

Retained firefighter Ken Powell, from Stow-on-the-Wold, said: "Everybody in Stow-on-the-Wold knows me and knows I am a firefighter.

"If I went on strike and, God forbid, something happened, how could I face those people? It is a moral issue for me."

Gloucestershire County Council is to run a fire safety adviceline on strike days for people worried about the strike.

Firefighters voted to strike

The adviceline will open at 9am on Thursday 14 November and will be open on all weekdays affected by the action.

A county council team will answer calls and provide advice and information normally supplied by the fire service - from the correct way to fit a smoke alarm to how to protect your property from flood damage.

In an emergency, people should still call 999 to alert the police and ambulance services.

County councillor Jeremy Hilton said: "I am very concerned and saddened by the news that the national negotiations have ended without agreement.

Skilled workers

"Our firefighters are highly regarded and skilled workers and without them there is no doubt that our emergency services will be severely stretched.

"We have been working closely with the police and the military and we will now put contingency plans in place to provide the best possible cover in difficult circumstances."

But he appealed for residents and businesses to take extra care to prevent fire and road accidents during the strike.

The county council's advice line number will be 01452 427777. Lines will be open from 9am until 5pm.