A crowd of 250 striking firefighters turned their backs on the Prime Minister today in a show of disgust at his refusal to meet their pay demand.

Protesters turned up at Gosforth High School, Newcastle, to show Mr Blair that they are not prepared to back down and that morale is still high.

Firefighters, fire control centre staff and family members surrounded the school entrance, armed with hand held horns and whistles.

Banners were strewn across the crowd displaying the slogan "Victory to the Fire Fighters."

As Mr Blair and his entourage approached the school the noise was deafening, with Firefighters straddling the school railings and jeering.

Firefighter Jim O'Grady, 48 of Gosforth Fire Station said: "We are here today to show that morale is still high and because the Government still does not want to listen.

"We will stay on strike until they take notice. I think the next eight day strike will be going ahead unless meaningful talks take place.

"They want us to be trained as paramedics but We already have paramedic services. "More talks are needed. We don't know what the government want from us." Firefighter, Michael Ainslie, 43, also of Gosforth Fire Station added: "People do not want strike but because the government are not listening and they are not prepared to talk we have to.

"We have genuine support for the armed forces, they shouldn't have to be covering us, they should be away doing their own work.

"Public support is still strong, they agree with our cause.

"It was important to come here today to let Blair know exactly what we feel about him. he has let us down very badly."

Even during the protest a member of the public drove up to show their support by handing food to the firefighters.

When Tony Blair tried to make a sharp exit the firemen made their most telling gesture.

As he drove past, each firefighter turned their back until his dark green Jaguar was driving past a wall of turned backs.

Scott Sloan, 34, of Gosforth Fire Station said: "It was the best way we could think of to show him how we fel - because he has turnd his back on us.

"The Pathfinder Commission even showed that we are under resourced and under commissioned.

"All we want is fair pay for a fair day's work. We have moved our stance and are fullt prepared to go to arbitration over anything.

"The government are using propaganda to portray us as the lowest of the low. It's about time the government in Britain started looking after their people."

Mr Blair had been visiting Gosforth High School, once attended by Alan Shearer and Dire Straits' Mark Knoppfler, to open a new £9m wing.