WILTSHIRE firefighters are preparing for strike action because they can't afford to live on what they are being paid.

Some say they are having to take second jobs to support their families, and some say they are being forced to live at the fire station because they can't afford a place of their own, says the Fire Brigades Union.

The union is demanding a 40 per cent pay increase for firefighters, and says that if employers will not meet that target, they are prepared to go on strike for the first time since 1977.

Firefighters earn more than £100 a week less than police officers, £150 a week less than train drivers and £200 a week less than engineering technicians.

Leading Firefighter Joe Tray, 49, has been a fireman for 25 years, and is also the Stratton Brigade Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union.

He said: "All we are asking for is professional pay for the professional job we do.

"We work 42 hours a week including weekends, nights, bank holidays, Christmas, New Year, and we don't get paid any extra for working those.

"I have missed birthdays, anniversaries and more than once I have missed seeing my children open their presents on Christmas Day.

"Once your shift is over you don't just stop caring, and you carry the physical and emotional scars back with you."

The starting wage for a firefighter is £19,000 a year, the same as a police officer, but after five years of training, exams and studying in their own time, they go up to just £21,500 a year.

Many young firefighters can't afford to take out a mortgage to buy a house, and so are being forced to live at the fire station between shifts.

Last week 80 Wiltshire firefighters went to the national rally at Westminster. Those who remained behind dealt with 999 calls only to send a message to their employers that they are serious about taking action.

Mr Tray said: "We had our fifth meeting with our employers last Monday, and we have been offered just a four per cent increase.

"There is a week-long conference in Manchester next week, and we will be recommending industrial action to our members there.

"A 40 per cent rise sounds like a lot, but for the 25 years I have been serving the public I don't think that is unreasonable. We have to bear the emotional and physical stress of the job and we think we are worth £30,000 a year. We serve the public well and in return I think the majority of the public support us."

Neil Wright, Wiltshire's Chief Fire Officer, said: "Hopefully it will not come to strike action. We hope there will be time for discussions between the FBU and employers and the dispute can be resolved."

Apart from the large towns like Swindon, Trowbridge and Salisbury, Wiltshire Fire Brigade is mostly made up of retained firefighters.

They work full time in other jobs, which they leave when an emergency call comes through.

Devizes Station Officer Julian Beinhorn, who works in a garage, said; "There are 23 retained firefighters in Devizes. If there is an emergency we are paged. We average about 400 to 450 calls a year."

Not all retained firefighters are affiliated to the Fire Brigades Union, so some of them will carry on working if the strike goes ahead.

Mr Tray said: "We hope as many as possible of the retained firemen will be supporting us, because we will be pushing for an increase to their retainers as well."