Firefighters have had a 'gut full'

SUFFOLK firefighters have had a 'gut full' according to their union spokesman as the latest fire strike ended today.

Elsewhere union officials today said the national 'last resort' fire strike had been "100 per cent solid" - but expressed hope that fresh talks could begin tomorrow at the conciliation service Acas.

After the strike ended at 9am today, Paul Woolstenholmes, secretary of Suffolk Fire Brigade Union, said: "The strike was a last resort."

He confirmed firefighters did not turn out on picket lines overnight,

and said: "We were on strike and we were not being paid so why should we line the pickets? Members in Suffolk have had a gut full."

An FBU official said as the strike ended today: "Our members remain absolutely determined to get professional pay for the service they provide."

Firefighters are due to walk out again, for 48 hours, from next Tuesday and again on February 1 if the deadlock is not broken.

Although it was relative quiet in Suffolk during the strike a once-white A-reg Fiesta's front tyres melted onto the pavement in Rands Way, Ipswich, at 11pm.

Another car caught fire in a garden in Franklin Road at 12.20am.

Reports of a house fire with two children trapped upstairs in Peterhouse Close, Ipswich at 8.32pm turned out to be a hoax.

Colonel Stuart Green said: "When somebody says there are trapped children, the crews' adrenaline starts pumping, but there is also the worry. Apart from the resources it takes up, it's draining on the crews."

Other incidents yesterday included:

A small fire on an industrial estate in Northern Road, Bury at 4.38pm, An automatic fire alarm went off in St Peter's Church, Ipswich at 5.02pm but it was a false alarm.

A small fire at Chicago Rock Café in Great Colman Street, Ipswich which was closed at the time, at 8.53pm.

Shortly before 9am today, there was a fire alert at Civic Centre and staff were evacuated but Green Goddesses were not needed.

Nationally one person died early today in a "suspicious" car fire tackled by two Green Goddess crews.

A member of the public alerted the emergency services to the fire in Penzance, Cornwall, just after 2am, Devon and Cornwall police said.

After the fire was extinguished, it was discovered that someone had died, but police were unable to give further details.

The fire was being treated as suspicious, and the vehicle, believed to be a Volvo, has been recovered for examination.