Bases handling flights to and from Afghanistan will function on a skeleton staff next week, when Ministry of Defence (MoD) firefighters join strikes against pension changes.

Nearly 700 firefighters are expected to strike next Thursday, together with workers in government departments and the NHS.

"This government has pushed MoD fire fighters to the absolute limit," said Unite's national officer for the MoD, Mike McCartney.

"They have had enough of being forced to do more for less, on top of a draconian diet of cuts and having their concerns ignored by their employers."

Strike action is expected at about 35 bases across the UK, but skeleton cover by the military's own firefighters and those from local authorities means flights should remain unaffected.

The 25,000 members of Unite's government departments section recently voted to reject the government's pensions offer.