A former firefighter who broke rank with the 1977 fire strike has backed the decision of the Fire Brigades Union to suspend planned industrial action.

Brian Hodgson, from Prestatyn, spoke out after the union called off a planned eight-day walkout, which was due to start on Wednesday.

Mr Hodgson said Green Goddesses can cope

The 55-year-old, who worked in Rhyl during the last strike 25 years ago, said many workers do not deserve the extra money they are demanding.

"When you've been on the inside, and you hear firefighters say that they are risking their lives, it's just nonsense," he added.

"If you stayed at a station like Rhyl for 10 years, you didn't gain experience - these people were on a good number with very little risk involved."

He said anyone earning �22,000 in Rhyl was "doing alright", and the union is blackmailing the government.

"All the fire brigade are doing is flexing their muscles and saying 'If you don't pay us people are going to die'," he added.

There were picket lines to cross, there were phone calls at home, I got shouted at in the street and there were intimidation tactics

Brian Hodgson Former firefighter

Firefighters have called for a 40% pay rise to increase their �22,000 salary to �30,000 a year.

This week's strike was halted on Monday, to allow further pay discussions to be held.

A new 48-hour strike is due to start on 13 November and the union has warned it will not call off any more industrial action.

Rhyl Rebels

In 1977, Mr Hodgson was one of seven men who refused to accept industrial action.

Known as the "Rhyl Rebels", they had to pass picketers every day to reach their fire station.

"There were picket lines to cross, there were phone calls at home, I got shouted at in the street and there were intimidation tactics," he said.

"I used to get calls from people saying 'You won't have a job when you get back'.

Mr Hodgson also said that friends deserted him for fear of receiving similar treatment.

'Easiest job'

After 13 years as a firefighter, Mr Hodgson was pensioned off by Clwyd County Council on the grounds of ill-health, just months after the strikes ended.

He then worked as a heath and safety manager at an NHS Trust in Lancaster.

He said his experiences there made him more adamant that firefighters do not deserve a big pay increase, and that working on a mental health ward was much harder.

Mr Hodgson was based in Rhyl

"You know what the rate of pay is when you start, I thought it was the easiest job I have ever done.

If industrial action does go ahead, the military will be drafted in to use Green Goddesses.

Firefighters have said the 49-year-old Bedford vehicles are not equipped for the job.

But Mr Hodgson disagreed.

"They get the job done, admittedly they're not as quick, but it really doesn't make that much difference," he said.

"Unless you're out of a fire straight away you don't have much chance of survival anyway," he said.