THERE was relief today at the news that tomorrow's 24-hour firefighters' strike had been cancelled following a renewed offer from employers.

Though local authority employers have not increased the 16 per cent pay offer, the revised deal has "significant" changes a Fire Brigades Union spokesman said.

The industrial action was due to start across the county at 6pm tomorrow, only hours after war with Iraq is expected to begin.

But public sympathy for the firefighters' pay dispute, which has been wavering, could have hit rock bottom if their strike had put the Army under further strain.

Yesterday, local FBU spokesman Steve Laugher said war was a separate issue to the pay dispute.

"Obviously we've got some members that have been involved in previous military conflict and we've all got grave concerns," he said.

"But our pay dispute started last May and ,at the present time, it's a separate issue to the war with Iraq."

Today, FBU leaders announced that the strike would not go ahead after employers "loosened" some of the strings attached to the offer.

The decision, taken by the FBU executive last night, was being discussed at a union conference in Brighton today.

The union recently rejected a 16 per cent increase that would lift members' wages from £21,000 to £25,000 by next year.

A national survey of the public at the weekend showed more than two-thirds asked thought the FBU wrong to call further strikes at this time.