THE Fire Brigades Union has outraged ambulance crews by branding them "stupid" for planning to rescue accident victims on strike days.

Furious North-East ambulance officials have demanded an apology over the claim made in a union bulletin being circulated to firefighters ahead of the series of national walkouts.

The bulletin warns ambulance staff not to try to free the injured from road traffic accidents because they do not have adequate equipment.

It says: "We have to advise colleagues in the ambulance service not to be so stupid as to try and do our job while we are on strike."

Last night, Steve Gregg, regional chairman of the FBU, said it had not deliberately set out to cause offence and valued the work of the ambulance service.

But the bulletin was condemned by Ray McDermott, Unison branch secretary for the North-East Ambulance Service, who said the FBU would receive no support for its strike until ambulance crews got an apology.

"I want to know when the fire service gained the exclusive right to get casualties out of vehicles," he said.

"Are they saying that we should stand by and do nothing if we find someone trapped in a vehicle and no one else is nearby?

"If the fire service is not on the scene, we will try and get them out if it is physically possible.

"Our aim first and foremost to is try and prevent unnecessary suffering and pain to the patient."

Earlier, Andy Gilchrist, the FBU's general secretary, had said strike cover being provided by the armed forces would be "wholly inadequate".

He had been called to Downing Street for talks over the strikes called by the union between next week and Christmas Eve in pursuit of its 40 per cent pay claim.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday there was no way any government could accept a 40 per cent claim as itwould create "havoc" across the public sector and would force up mortgage interest rates.

It is thought that workers in a number of industries could walk on strike days amid fears over safety.

Just over 800 Green Goddesses will be available across the country to cover for 3,000 fire engines normally crewed by tens of thousands of firefighters.

Hospital trusts across the region are reviewing their arrangements for strike days. Fire response teams consisting of key staff are being set up to patrol hospitals during the action and will be expected to deal with evacuations and minor fires.

Mobile medical teams, which typically only respond to major incidents, are also being put on stand-by.