THE region’s leading union official issued a rallying cry as thousands of public sector workers set off for a march and rally today.

TUC Northern regional secretary Kevin Rowan was "heartened" by the huge turn-out of public service union members from across the North-East joining the mass demonstration against pension cuts on Tyneside.

Estimates of numbers gathering at Gateshead Civic Centre at the starting point of the march exceeded the 3,000 - 4,000 earlier forecast by union officials.

As they set off on time, at 11.30am, they snaked their way towards the Swing Bridge to cross the River Tyne heading for a rally on Spiller’s Wharf, near to The Quayside, in Newcastle.

There was an excited atmosphere among placard-carrying marchers from across public service unions, with klaxons sounding and whistles blowing.

They took more than 20 minutes to clear the civic centre car park as they headed down Gateshead High Street.

Mr Rowan, a former shipyard worker from Barrow-in-Furness, said it reflected the sense of resolve across the board to fight the planned changes to public sector pensions.

"Looking at the numbers I would think there’s well over 4,000 and they’re still streaming in.

"I’m really pleased with the turn-out. The unions have really shown their strength today.

"This is about showing two things, explaining about the injustice to public sector workers and low paid workers across the board and secondly, it’s to demonstrate the strength of feeling there is on this issue.

"It’s not just the trade unions here. We have lots of support from the general public as well.

"It’s about demonstrating that sense of feeling and sense of support.

"It’s about encouraging the Government to think again.

"Clearly a strike of this size is going to cause significant disruption.

"We regret that. Of course I regret that, we are all members of the public, too.

"But what we would say to the public is: ‘If you want us to help us to avoid disruption in the future then we would urge people to write to their MP, write to the Prime Minister, and say what you are doing is unfair and change their course of action with what they are doing to public sector workers.’ "That will force the Government to negotiate and we can avoid actions like this in future.

"I think the ball is very much firmly in the Government’s court "They need to negotiate better than they are doing and come to the negotiating table with something different than just saying: ‘This is the final offer’, and talk to the unions about finding a solution.

"I think this will be the last action before Christmas, but I’m very encouraged by the turn-out and I think, more importantly, public sector workers are encouraged by the sense of support they are getting today."

Mr Rowan headed the march to Spillers Wharf where the crowds were to be addressed by, among others, the firebrand leader of the rail workers’ union, the RMT, Bob Crow