Essex firefighters will go on strike today (August 28) and again on Tuesday (September 1) as their on-going dispute against budget cuts continues.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said that member on-call firefighters and officers directly in charge of operational crews will take strike action between 9am and 6pm on both days.

The dispute, which began in January, has continued throughout the year, with several days of industrial action over “unfriendly” working conditions and budget cuts.

The Essex Fire and Rescue Service said they have strong resilience arrangements in place to protect the county but are advising people to test smoke alarms and check on elderly or vulnerable family members or neighbours.