Norfolk

If given the go-ahead, the move would affect 44 workers, who are members of the union Unite, who are employed by the private contractor Serco. Angry staff claim they are missing out on the same pay and benefits that there NHS employed counterparts receive. They are campaigning for the company to introduce a system similar to the NHS's Agenda for Change scheme, in which wages were reconfigured.

The Watton and Swaffham Times reported that rubbish is mounting up outside homes in Breckland because binmen are locked in an industrial dispute.

Waste went uncollected at a number of properties on Monday and there are fears the bin backlog could spread to other homes in the district after its rubbish collection teams began a “work to rule”.

The BBC reported that crews across Norfolk started the action on Tuesday afternoon but without the backing of their trade union.

They said managers were not keeping to a pay deal agreed in 2003. Fire service managers met union representatives on Wednesday to reach an agreement.

After the meeting firefighters decided to call off the action, which was to answer only 999 calls.

Ms Edwards has worked at the ASDA store for two years but had been off sick until recently while recovering from two operations. By having £3 cash in her pocket while working she was breaching ASDA cash handling rules.