Hundreds of public service workers in Luton and Dunstable took to the streets yesterday to show their disgust with a "below inflation" government pay offer.

Two schools in Luton and one in Dunstable were forced to shut because of the nationwide strike action, which is set to continue all day today (Thursday).

Workers are fuming over a 2.45 per cent pay offer, which union bosses says amounts to a pay cut because of the rising cost of living.

Yesterday morning members of Unison and Unite formed picket lines outside their places of work, and in the afternoon many of them descended on Luton Town Hall to voice their disquiet.

At a rally on the steps of Luton Borough Council's offices, onlookers were told that the government needs to take heed of the action.

A fuming John Toomey, Unison representative for the East of England, accused MPs of turning their back on the people that elected them, and continued: "Our members can't afford the holidays that you'll see advertised on the street now.

"Some of our members can't afford to send their kids to the swimming pool in Luton.

"Some can't even afford to buy their kids an icecream.

"Can you imaging telling your kid: 'I've been working hard and I'm always out, but I can't afford a treat like that?'"

And he continued: "I hope this will tell people that we can't afford to live like this.

"We want decent levels of pay, we deserve decent levels of pay and we will have decent levels of pay."