THOUSANDS of Worcestershire families could find themselves in chaos tomorrow as council workers stage their biggest strike for the past 20 years.

Council chiefs have admitted they have no way of knowing how much disruption will be caused as workers protest over pay.

Schools, libraries, social services and rubbish collections will be affected by the action of more than 1.2m people across the country who are to take part in the strike.

The dispute - which follows rejection of a three per cent pay offer - is the biggest the country has seen since the infamous Winter of Discontent in 1979.

In Worcestershire, staff at the county council's Spetchley headquarters, as well as Worcester City Council and the district councils of Wychavon, Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove and Malvern are expected to join the industrial action.

"If you receive a service like home care and you are worried check with your provider," said a county council spokesman.

"Likewise, we advise checking with libraries and schools before going there."

Dilys Wynn, Worcestershire's head of human resources, said those residents who normally received home care did not need to worry because it would be business as usual.

The unions involved - Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union and the GMB - have demanded a six per cent pay rise for rank and file public service staff.

Adrian Gregson, county branch secretary of Unison, said there would be significant disruption because of the strike.

"There are around 3,000 members of the unions at County Hall and another one to 2,000 members at district councils, so there could be around 5,000 involved, and we expect all members will take action," he said.

"It is hard to say what the effect of the disruption will be, but it is the biggest strike the country has seen for many years."

He said schools would also be affected, because many catering assistants and caretakers were union members.

Unison confirmed that 56 per cent of its membership who voted were in favour of the strike, while members of the T&G and the GMB both voted by 66 per cent in favour.