Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was called on to respond to one emergency call during the four-hour Fire Birgades Union strike today.

The call, which was to an automatic fire alarm at a care home in Capel St Mary, was a false alarm and the fire crew returned to base.

The fire service operated a reduced service during the strike today, which was sparked by a row over pensions.

In total, 20 of Suffolk’s 35 fire stations were available during the strike, with staff and managers who were not striking on standby to crew the engines.

Deputy chief fire officer, Mark Hardingham, said: “We operated a reduced service this afternoon, but our focus remained on protecting the people of Suffolk and those who visit our county.

“We’re pleased that there were no major incidents for our firefighters to respond to and I’d like to thank them for providing cover.

“Normal service has now resumed but we’d urge people to continue to be safe and vigilant around fire risks.”