THE whole of East Lancashire will be covered by just nine Green Goddess engines during the firefighters' strike, it was revealed today.

The ageing Army machines, which travel at a top speed of 35mph, will be based in spots near the M65, major residential areas or at police stations during the crisis.

Lancashire's leading fire officer said today that lives will be at risk during each of the 36 days firefighters strike, with the first action starting on October 29.

The last time they went on strike in 1977 a 38-year-old Blackburn man died in a house fire in Cunningham Place, Blackburn. Two Green Goddesses failed to reach the house in time to help save the man.

East Lancashire would normally have 35 fire engines and 154 firefighters in a typical day.

Blackburn, Accrington and Darwen will have two Green Goddesses each and one will be stationed in Burnley, Rawtenstall and Nelson.

No details have been released on Ribble Valley cover.

Steve Harman, the Fire Brigade's Union Lancashire Secretary, said: "There has been a total lack of negotiation and we have no other avenue to go down.

"Nobody knows the consequence of strike action better than those in the fire service but the strength of feeling is so strong that they feel they must go ahead.

"It is with regret that we are striking, but our members feel that there is no other option."

The announcement by the FBU follows a three-week ballot of every firefighter in the country over a long-running disagreement over pay.

Firefighters say they want an increase from £21,500 to £30,000 a year and rises in pay for control room staff and retained firefighters.

Peter Holland, Lancashire's Chief Fire Officer, said: "Lives will be put at risk as a result of this industrial action.

"The military will do their best but they are no substitute for a fully trained fire service, it is a shortfall."

Leader of Lancashire County Council Coun Hazel Harding, , said: "I actually think that a 40 per cent pay increase is not realistic, but that is my personal point of view.

"My message to the people of Lancashire is that they need to understand that the other emergency services will endeavour to ensure that the people of Lancashire will be safe."

Station Officer Aidan Fortune, of Blackburn Fire Station, said striking was their only option.

"There is ten days yet for the employers, the union and the government to make some progress to ensure that the strikes are suspended."

The strike days are: Tuesday October 29 toThursday October 31, November 2 to November 4, November 6 to November 14, November 22 to November 30, December 4 to December 12, and December 16 to December 24.

Members of the Retained Firefighters' Union, which represents part-time workers, are meeting this weekend for their annual conference in Gloucestershire where they are reported to be calling for a negotiated settlement to the pay row.