FIREFIGHTERS across Hereford and Worcester are set to lobby the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott when he attends a Local Government Association meeting in Bournemouth today.

Steve Laugher, Fire Brigade Union secretary for the area, said 40 firefighters from Hereford and Worcester will take part in the demonstration.

"It is part of a national protest so I expect there will be a few thousand there.

"We want to make John Prescott aware of our presence and that we're serious about our pay campaign.

"We will be standing outside the meeting making our presence known and that we are serious."

Across the country, the union is campaigning for a 39 per cent pay increase, boosting salaries to £30,000 a year for firefighters with four years service.