MY 55,000 colleagues and I will not be frightened into stopping our strike action by the threat of imprisonment.

It will be interesting to see so many law-abiding firefighters with no criminal records locked up when the Government can't even lock up first-offence burglars.

Now we know for sure this Government has forgotten its union roots. If it succeeds against the firefighters, beware - nurses, teachers and ambulance staff, you would be next in losing the right to withhold your labour for fairer pay and working conditions.

The standard of firefighting by the military has been exaggerated, with little information released about the number of incidents not being attended when, at any one time, more military personnel are on duty than fire brigade personnel - and Mr Prescott wants to cut our fire cover.

Thanks to members of the public for the magnificent support they have given us in this dispute.

-Dean Docherty, Rustic Close, Peacehaven