Firefighters across Bexley marked the final night of an eight-day strike last night (August 16).

Crews at Erith and Sidcup fire stations gathered around bonfires during the sixteenth strike in eight days.

Strikes ran from August 9 - August 16 between 12pm and 2pm and 10.59pm and 11.59pm in an ongoing row over pensions between the Fire Brigades Union and the government.

News Shopper:

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “It is absolutely ludicrous that a government can impose a scheme which means that firefighters will have to ride engines and rescue people from fires up to age 60.

“This is unsafe and unrealistic for both firefighters and the public.

“We know it, and the public know it, but the government will not listen to the evidence based case we have made to them."