Hundreds of angry firefighters jeered and booed councillors from four fire authorities as they arrived at the Yorkshire Fire Service headquarters at Birkenshaw today.

More than 300 firefighters, officers and control staff from all over the region protested as the councillors from West, South and North Yorkshire and Humberside fire authorities met to discuss changes to conditions of service at a national level.

Up to 1,000 firefighters had been expected to attend and despite the lack of numbers, the protesters made their presence felt, with some councillors' cars being jostled as they drove through the angry mob.

After heated exchanges a delegation of Fire Brigade Union (FBU) representatives were allow-ed into the meeting to put their case to councillors.

Members of the FBU at the protest said they were "disgusted and angry" that their conditions of service, including the reduction of holiday leave, are being attacked.

Speaking before going into the meeting, FBU regional chair Terry Allison said: "The feeling from the fire stations all over this region and indeed the country is one of anger.

"These are ordinary firefighters who have come to protest today from all over Yorkshire and Humberside and they say enough is enough - leave our conditions of service alone."

West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority chairman Councillor Lawrence Conlon said: "The purpose of the meeting is to bring all members of the fire authorities in the Yorkshire and Humberside area up to date with the negotiations with the FBU."

FIREFIGHTERS in West Yorkshire are awaiting the results of a ballot, expected on October 18, as to whether they will take strike action over the proposed new conditions of service.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.