Two Jags John Prescott has a lot to answer for according to crews at one Brighton fire station.

Firefighters at Roedean station, off Marine Drive, could not resist sending a message to the Deputy Prime Minister when they were handed the perfect canvas.

Wrecked cars are regularly delivered to the station to help firefighters practise cutting people free during road accidents and they could not believe their luck when a Jaguar was among the deliveries.

They pushed it to the front of the station and scrawled the message Oi, Two Jags! Our Cuts Save Lives along the side and bonnet. Mr Prescott gained the nickname Two Jags after using two cars to travel 250 yards at the Labour Party Conference in 1999.

Mr Prescott's last-minute intervention in the firefighters' dispute on Monday prompted the Fire Brigades' Union (FBU) to call off planned walkouts.

Jim Parrott, FBU secretary for East Sussex and who works at Roedean, said: "We don't get Jags delivered very often so we couldn't resist the opportunity to make use of this one at Mr Prescott's expense. It is all just a bit of fun."

The car has been on display since the last 48-hour strike and has been well received by passing motorists.

Mr Parrott said: "Lots of people have been tooting their horns and some have even stopped to have a look."

Fresh talks are expected to resume on Monday after FBU general secretary Andy Gilchrist described the meeting with Mr Prescott as the Government's "first constructive intervention."

However, firefighters remain sceptical.

Mr Parrott said: "We still view him with complete and utter distrust. He has misrepresented the facts about this issue to the public and has a long way to go before that trust is regained."

Mr Prescott's office last night published a three-page statement emphasising the Deputy Prime Minister's "strong commitment" to a negotiated settlement to end the long-running dispute.