WILTSHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is finalising its contingency plans to deal with further strikes by firefighters this weekend.

The Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) has announced that, as part of its on-going national dispute with the Government over pension reforms, its members will be walking out between 6pm and 10pm today and tomorrow.

Chief Fire Officer Simon Routh- Jones for Wiltshire said: “These will be the fifth and sixth walkouts by members of the Fire Brigades’ Union since September and it is frustrating that the two sides in this national dispute have not been able to reach any sort of agreement.

“As on previous occasions, we will be making every effort to provide the best possible fire cover for the communities of Wiltshire and Swindon but we will be operating with reduced resources and this will have an effect.”

Previous short strikes by The Fire Brigade Union members have seen services maintained but at lower levels of cover in both Hampshire and Wiltshire.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “We would like to reassure the public that emergency calls will be answered and responded to during the planned industrial action by the FBU.

“We will remain in operation as usual throughout the period of industrial action and are calling for your assistance in reducing calls during that time.”