Leaders of the Sussex branches of the firefighters' union are holding talks to discuss the 11th-hour suspension of tomorrow's planned strike.

Firefighters were expected to go on strike from 9am tomorrow for 48 hours, in a bid to earn a 40 per cent pay rise.

But on Saturday union officials cancelled their first planned walkout for fresh pay talks to take place.

Green Goddess fire trucks remain on standby at points across the county to step in if the talks break down.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) decided the two 48-hour strikes, one planned for tomorrow and Wednesday and the other for November 2-4, would not go ahead following talks at the weekend.

The action has been postponed while the union meets local authority employers on Wednesday and Thursday.

But it warned that if no progress was made, other strikes planned from November 6, onwards, would go ahead.

The union had been under increasing pressure not to go ahead with this week's strikes following talks over the past two days between FBU officials and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

There were growing fears that emergency fire cover provided by ageing Green Goddesses would be inadequate.

Steve Huggins chairman of the East Sussex branch of the FBU, said: "We're glad they are taking a step back to start talks and we hope they're positive.

"No offer has been made yet but we're hopeful we will get a step further."

Jim Parrott FBU secretary for East Sussex, said regional executives were holding a meeting yesterday to discuss the latest developments.