ARSONISTS struck in four separate incidents just hours after Redditch firefighters joined colleagues in a national strike over pay on Wednesday at 6pm.

Members of the RAF were drafted in to tackle four car blazes in different areas of the town between midnight and 1am last Thursday.

Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade spokesman Alec Mackie said the RAF green goddesses put out all the blazes successfully.

A total of 34 incidents took place in the county up until two hours before the strike ended at 6pm on Friday. The RAF dealt with 29 of them .

More national talks will take place before Friday when an eight-day walk-out is planned.

The Government's current offer is 11 per cent over two years as recommended by the official Bain report which the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has called insulting.

But FBU leaders have said an offer of a 16 per cent increase may be enough to bring an end to the strikes.