New firefighters expecting to start work next month are being forced to wait after a training course was cancelled due to the pay row.

Senior officers at West Yorkshire Fire Service have called off the intensive 13-week course due to start on January 6. They cannot guarantee when instructors will be available because of industrial action.

But the Fire Brigade Union has criticised the decision, which it claims will leave the brigade short-staffed.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer and director of personnel Allan Hughes said the strikes had prevented them from planning ahead.

"It would be difficult for people to join West Yorkshire Fire Service while the industrial dispute continues because it would be detrimental to the continuity and consistency of the training programme," he said.

"Before the industrial action started, the FBU was contacted to find out if our instructors at the training centre could be excluded so that courses would not be disrupted. This was refused by the FBU."

But Sean Cahill, former Bradford firefighter and secretary of the West Yorkshire Fire Brigade Union, said it was unnecessary.

"A training course at Birkenshaw has just finished and that took place during industrial action so I can't see how they say it is going to cause disruption.

"This will leave us around 70 firefighters down and the majority of stations are already struggling to be manned."

Divisional Officer Martyn Redfearn, responsible for personnel, said any delay on the January course would have meant it clashed with other training, so would-be firefighters would now attend a course in April.

The 34 people who would have been on the course would have taken the brigade to maximum staffing levels.

"Retirements in January, February and March are small with only about six people leaving," said Mr Redfearn, who expects more intakes in July and September.

"However there is a three-month gap and should we get lots of voluntary retirements it would affect staffing levels."

Tony Niland, a Bradford councillor (Lab, Bowling) and member of West Yorkshire Fire Authority, apologised to would-be firefighters for the delay.

"If we know that industrial action is going to be suspended we might be able to get the courses up and running but until we get that commitment from the FBU we have to do what we deem necessary for the benefit of the service."