Firefighters are set to strike next week in a row over pensions.

Nearly 80 per cent voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) earlier this month.

Official figures have shown that thousands of firefighters could face the sack without access to a proper pension because they are getting older.

The government wants to raise their retirement age from 55 to 60 and reduce their pensions if they cannot fulfil the highly physical role later in life.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: "Governments in Westminster and Cardiff have simply refused to see sense on these issues.

"It is ludicrous to expect firefighters to fight fires and rescue families in their late 50s.

"The lives of the general public and firefighters themselves will be endangered."

Union officials left the strike until the last possible moment to allow for the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

The action will take place next on September 25 between noon and 4pm.

Mr Wrack added: "None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety."

Firefighters in Scotland are delaying action while union officials discuss the Scottish government's newest proposals.

A recent government review found that more than half of current firefighters between the ages of 50 and 54 are no longer able to meet fire and rescue service fitness standards. Two-thirds of those beyond the age of 55 fail to meet the standards.

The government has previously claimed that older firefighters could be moved to less physically demanding roles.

But the FBU said its research found only a handful of "redeployment" opportunities in fire and rescue services, which showed mass sackings would be inevitable.

Labour London Assembly spokeswoman Fiona Twycross said: "Forcing firefighters to work longer and then taking part of their pension off them if they can't physically cope when they are close to retirement is fundamentally unfair."