FIREFIGHTERS are holding a 24 hour strike protesting against what they claim are frontline cuts which put the public in danger.
 

Members of the Fire Brigades’ Union walked out at 9am and will not return to work until 9am tomorrow.
 

The union, which claims to have 80 per cent firefighters, both full time and retained, as members, claim the fire service are making dangerous changes.
 

This has been strongly denied by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
 

Resilience teams providing fire cover began operations at 6.30am and will be based at secret locations after regular fire stations were closed and locked.
 

The fire service claims about 120 firefighters are working on as many as 40 fire engines but bosses are asking the public to stay safe and take care not to take risks especially today.
 

More to follow.