GREEN Goddess fire engines are to be sent to Catterick Garrison to provide emergency cover in the event of a strike by firefighters.

About 250 of the 50-year-old vehicles are believed to be destined for the Army base, which would then deploy some to other military camps in the region.

The move is part of contingency plans drawn up by the Ministry of Defence as the Fire Brigades' Union moves towards a vote on strike action. Members want a near-40pc pay rise to take them to £30,000, but employers have offered just 4pc.

Cutbacks in Army barracks since the last firefighters' strike 25 years ago means Britain now has too few barracks to provide blanket emergency cover for the whole country.

To help cope, military motorcycle outriders would be used to close roads and stop traffic if the Green Goddesses were called out.

Though full plans have not yet been made public, it is believed that troops at Catterick Garrison are on stand-by in case a vote to strike is made.

About 900 Green Goddesses (7.2-ton fire trucks built in the Fifties) were moved across Britain at the weekend from their main base in Staffordshire. The engines have a top speed of only 35 miles an hour and cost the Government £1.5m a year in maintenance.