A GROUP of around 50 NHS staff today picketed outside Bradford Royal Infirmary as part of a national strike.

Paramedics, health workers, nurses, midwives and porters from the Bradford hospital were among the thousands of staff walking out across the country.

Trade unions, including Unite, Unison and the Royal College of Midwives, have called for a one per cent pay rise for all NHS staff, but the Government has refused the proposal saying it would cost too much.

Staff will also be under the 'work to rule' system for the rest of this week, meaning they will take their allotted breaks and not work any overtime. But Unite members will continue with this for the next month.

The strike saw staff protest outside BRI between 7am and 11am today.

Maryanne Naylor , who works as a midwife at BRI, said: "We did it with a heavy heart.

"I would rather be in there but enough is enough. Where does it end?

"We only went on strike when we realised all essential services were covered and that we were fully staffed.”

Amandeep Singh, branch secretary of Unison Bradford health branch, said: "You can see from the public going back that they understand how important it is to have a good public service.

"They would have even better public services if they treated the staff fairly and allow them to have a good standard of living and quality of life and that's all we are asking for."