AWITH placards aloft, hundreds of people marched through Worcester as part of the biggest national walkout since the General Strike in 1926.

More than 500 people from the city council marched along High Street in protest to changes to pensions, with cries of "Hands off our pension" and "Old and grey, got no pay".

They were among 6,000 refuse collectors, council officers, librarians and teaching assistants county-wide who forced the closure of 20 schools and libraries and various day centres and made sure bins went uncollected and streets were left litter-strewn.

Mike Harrison, head of environmental services at Worcester City Council, revealed the full extent of the action.

He said: "There were six daily rounds of bin collections and only the three in the Battenhall, the London Road area, and in Tolladine were covered. Those living in Wyld's Lane, Ronkswood and the Bath Road area will have to wait until next week."

Speaking yesterday afternoon, he added: "We have not had much response from the public so far, but we expect the calls of complaint to start on Wednesday."

Kevin Haines, a refuse collector, led the rally. He said: "We want what we signed up for and are asking the Government to leave our pensions alone.

"At the moment we can retire at 60 if we have 25 years service. Labour wants us to work to the age of 65. We work hard to provide the essential services you rely on and yet we find ourselves working alongside people who have had their pensions protected. How is that fair?"

Mother and daughter Gail and Becky Callacombe were both out on strike. Gail has worked as a teaching assistant for Rose Hill Special School in Worcester for 16 years. She said: "I am retiring in nine years and I want my pension. The teachers will get one and we work physically harder than them."

Becky, aged 24, works as a nursery nurse at Worcester College of Technology.

She said: "We just want a fair deal, and protection for people already in the pension scheme.

"Unfortunately, services have been disrupted, but I think people are OK with that as we are standing up for something we believe in."

Janet Weaver, aged 61, has spent 23 years working as a school administrator at Thornton House Special Schools in Wyld's Lane, Worcester. She sympathised with the younger members of the strike. She said: "They shouldn't change the pensions, especially for the younger ones who might not get a state pension. I feel particularly sorry for them."

Many people on the street supported the strike. Emily Lewis, aged 30, of Warndon, said: "I back the strike completely. I think they have a fair point and think people should put up with a bit of disruption to support it."

Sylvia Traiforos, aged 68, of Birkenhead, was in Worcester to do some shopping. She had mixed feelings: "I sympathise with them, but I also think there are people in the private sector who are a lot worse off."

An anonymous shopper thought the strike action was "bloody awful", though. He said: "I retired at 65, why shouldn't this lot? I don't agree with the strike at all."

Peter Fennell, one of the speakers at the rally, and regional organiser for Unison, one of the unions involved in the strike, was delighted with the turnout.

He said: "We believe this will send a message back to the Government that we want to keep our pensions as they are. The ball is now back in their court. If they decide to ignore it, we will be back out on strike next month."