Police were called to Solihull fire station after large numbers of pickets turned up when non-striking firemen arrived for work.

Solihull was one of four fire stations that had crews working on Wednesday night in the West Midlands.

In Wolverhampton, two of the city's three fire stations worked normally.

Crews from the city's Merridale Street station helped rescue a 40 year-old man from a fire in sheltered accommodation in Waterloo Road.

Bitter dispute

Firemen also worked normally at Tipton and the central fire station in Birmingham where they were helping with a serious accident on the M6 near Wednesbury on Thursday morning.

Ken Knight says it will be a "difficult return to work"

One person was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital.

Ken Knight, chief fire officer for the West Midlands, admits the dispute is becoming increasingly bitter.

He told the BBC's Midlands Today programme: "I think it will inevitably become a very difficult return to work which we will have to manage.

"We have to ensure there is no intimidation and ensure people are allowed to have their choice that they wish to have but it will be very difficult."

But the FBU claims only a small number of people who voted not to strike are now going into work.

Talks are due later today over the fire strike between John Prescott and senior union leaders.

The meeting will come soon after the latest 48-hour walk-out ends at 0900 GMT on Thursday.