JOURNALISTS from the BBC manned picket lines today as some of the corporation’s staff went on strike for 24 hours.

A picket line was held at BBC Hereford and Worcester, Hylton Road, from 5.45am to 11.30am after the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) failed to reach an agreement over the redeployment of 30 staff facing compulsory redundancy.

It was reported more non-NUJ members took part in the action than previously experienced.

A picket was also held at the Mailbox in Birmingham, home to Midlands Today, from 5am to 2pm.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: "The strike is obviously solid and very well supported. It's brilliant to see so many members who have come out to support quality journalism and programming."

A statement from the corporation said they were “disappointed” with the action and apologised to their audience for the disruption to services.

“Unfortunately industrial action does not alter the fact that the BBC has significant savings targets and as a consequence may have to make a number of compulsory redundancies.

“We have made considerable progress in reducing the need for compulsory redundancies through volunteers, redeployment and cancelling vacant positions and we will continue with these efforts.”

Neither the BBC nor the NUJ could say precisely which local programmes had been affected by the action.