FEARS were growing last night that emergency calls could be ignored by a makeshift military force should firefighters take national strike action.

The Northern Echo has been told that, because of the level of expected cover, service personnel will be forced to prioritise their response to some incidents.

Plans have been drawn up to provide emergency cover across the region should no breakthrough be found in a dispute which is over pay.

But a skeleton force, made up of staff from the Army, Navy and RAF, who will use 1950s vintage Green Goddess fire tenders, is expected to be severely stretched.

Steve Gregg, regional chairman of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), who is based in Middlesbrough, said that as many as one in three calls could be missed - potentially putting lives at risk.

The claim came as a leaked Ministry of Defence report revealed that more than a third of the 19,000- strong force promised by the Government will be clerks, security guards and radio controllers.

It concedes that the equipment to be used will be "inevitably inferior" to the pumps and appliances used by UK fire authorities.

About 250 Green Goddesses are being sent to Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, in the event of a strike.

They, along with personnel from the three services will be stationed at Army barracks and other bases around the region, rather than at fire stations.

With many barracks having closed since the last nationwide firefighters strike 25 years ago it may be impossible to provide blanket coverage, especially in rural areas.

Last night an Army source told The Northern Echo: "We could never replicate the service that the firefighters provide.

"Faced between two incidents we would have to assess our resources and prioritise where lives needed to be saved."

About 827 Green Goddesses will replace 2,296 pumps and 874 special appliances in England and Wales.

An estimated 2,700 firefighters across the North-East will take part in a secret union postal ballot on strike action next Fri- day.

The result is due to be announced on October 18 with firefighters expected to vote overwhelmingly in favour of action.

A series of 24-hour or 48-hour strikes could take place from October 25 onwards.

The FBU is asking for a near 40 per cent pay rise from local government employers, taking the average firefighter's salary to £30,000.

But this has been rejected by the employers who have offered four per cent and a wide-ranging independent review of the fire service.