FIREFIGHTERS are set to strike again this weekend as part of an ongoing dispute with the Government over pension reforms.

The Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) members will be walking out between 6pm today and 6pm on Tuesday.

Firefighters at Salisbury will be unavailable for fire calls over the 96-hour period, but Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has plans to deal with this latest round of industrial action.

Chief fire officer Simon Routh-Jones said: “This national dispute has now resulted in over a year of strikes, so it is bitterly disappointing that there is still no resolution and we are now facing the longest walkout yet by FBU members during this action.”

He said the service would do all it could to ensure communities remained safe.

The service will maintain fire cover across the county, with crews responding from other stations if needed.

Mr Routh-Jones added: “We will still respond to 999 calls, but it may take us a little longer than usual to arrive and, with larger premises, we may send a smaller attendance than normal in the first instance.

“With Bonfire Night likely to be celebrated over the weekend, it’s even more important than normal for people to take extra care.”

On-call stations unaffected by the strike should be providing fire cover as usual across the four days.

Chairman of Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority Cllr Chris Devine said |the strike was “disappointing and ill timed”.

“It’s about time the FBU sorted out its issues with the Government,” he said.