RURAL Dorset may have to rely on just one ancient fire engine if firefighters go on strike, it was claimed today.

Lives will be put at risk throughout the county because possibly only one Army green goddess will be available to serve Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport and Sherborne.

Urgent action is being demanded today by county and borough councillor Hazel Priest, who revealed the critical situation facing Dorset.

National strike action is expected next month following the head-on clash with the Government over pay.

The Fire Brigades Union is seeking a rise of almost 40 per cent to take the pay of a qualified firefighter from £21,500 a year to £30,000.

The union's special conference next Thursday is expected to overwhelmingly back a strike ballot.

Coun Priest, whose husband Simon is a Weymouth firefighter, claims seven green goddesses will be allocated to Dorset if the strike goes ahead.

But she believes the majority of these would be deployed in the conurbation of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, leaving the rest of Dorset with just one or two appliances.

Coun Priest has written to Dorset Fire Authority chairman David Fox demanding answers.

She said: "This dispute is now making headlines across the country and yet the people of Dorset have still to hear from our own fire authority regarding the threat posed by the first national firefighters' strike in 25 years."

She asks how many green goddesses and crews have been allocated to Dorset, considering there are normally 50 pumps covering the county.

"If it's true that there are only seven can you explain where and how they will be deployed?" she adds.

Coun Priest fears for public safety because she says Army personnel are not as experienced as professional firefighters.

She said the role now covered a much wider area, including rescue and recovery work.

Mr Fox believes seven green goddesses will be available for Dorset including Bournemouth and Poole which he said was 'by no means satisfactory or sufficient', but added that it would be up to the chief fire officer where they would be deployed.

He said employers had done all they could to avoid a strike and was pleased to see an inquiry set up into the dispute.

Mr Fox said he accepted a new pay award would be justified but the current budget only allowed for a pay rise of three to four per cent.

A spokesman for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said the service did not want to antagonise or pre-empt anything that would come out of the union conference on September 12.

He said the service was making contingency plans but did not want to comment on details of cover until strike action had been decided.

The spokesman said that Dorset did have a number of retained stations although retained firefighters could be members of the Fire Brigades Union.

Members of the Retained Firefighters Union will not strike due to its no-strike constitution.