THERE were signs late last week that there was cause for optimism that a solution could be found before the firefighters' dispute escalated into strike action.

And hopes have risen further over the weekend with the Fire Brigades Union's (FBU) announcement that it has suspended 48-hour strikes planned for this week.

We welcome that announcement from the FBU as a positive step towards avoiding the first national walkout since 1977.

With new talks planned, both sides must seize the opportunity to find a way out of industrial action from which no one can win.

The FBU will lose public sympathy if it goes ahead with life-threatening strikes, based on a wildly over-the-top starting position on pay of 40 per cent.

But the Government knows that firefighters have fallen behind in the public sector wages league and it is time to begin the catch-up process.

The threat of industrial action should be postponed until the completion of the independent review of the fire service, linking pay with a modernisation process.

But with an eight-day walkout still planned for November 6, the stakes remain high, and there is a great deal of hard bargaining ahead.

The Government cannot afford to take the remaining threat lightly, but the FBU cannot afford to go ahead with a strike plan which will endanger lives.

We believe that there is enough commitment on both sides to ensure that common sense prevails.

Bobby Dazzler

SIR Bobby Robson is recovering from a fall down stairs at his County Durham home which left him with back and rib injuries.

But it didn't stop the former England manager driving to Ipswich the following day to attend the funeral of close friend Ron Gray, and then fly back to watch his Newcastle players come from behind to beat Charlton at St James' Park.

At 69, no wonder Sir Bobby remains such an inspiration to players a third of his age. He might have had a fall, but respect for him rises with each day that goes by.