The Army today admitted that some calls could go ignored in the event of a national strike by firefighters.

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

But reservations have been expressed about the level of service expected to be provided.

Ian Moore, of the Fire Brigades Union, who is co-ordinating the firefighters pay campaign in County Durham, said he understood that some properties could literally be left to burn to the ground if empty.

Fire Service minister Nick Raynsford has already said that a strike could put lives at risk.

Last night a North spokesman for the Army said: "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 and were at risk.

"At this stage though you're talking in the hypothetical and such situations may not arise."

About 250 Green Goddesses are set to be sent to Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, in case of a strike.

The fire trucks - which are among the oldest in the world - would then be deployed to Army bases across the region.

But with many barracks having closed since the last nationwide strike 25 years ago coverage is likely to be stretched especially in rural areas.

About 650 personnel from all three services, the Army, Navy and RAF, are being trained in basic firefighting skills and the use of specialist equipment should they be required.

Meanwhile, firefighters are due to receive strike ballot papers from the Fire Brigades Union on Friday September 27 with the result being announced about three weeks later.

A series of discontinuous 24 or 48 hour strikes could take place from October 25 at the earliest.

The FBU is asking for a near 40 per cent pay rise from local Government employers taking the average firefighters 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.

Ian Moore said he expected the union membership to vote "overwhelmingly" in favour of strike action.

An estimated 2,500 firefighters across the North-East will be balloted.

He added: "Talks are still going on involving the Government. We want to avoid a strike of course but the threat is definitely there."