RETAINED firefighters whose jobs are earmarked for the axe were due to protest today outside the meeting which will decide their fate.

But the Barnoldswick fire crew will not be wearing their uniforms during the protest for fear of being disciplined.

The firefighters protested in Barnoldswick town centre on Saturday and were visited by a fire and rescue service boss who was making sure they were not in their uniforms, according to Coun David Whipp.

But the protesters were left unhappy that while a boss came to issue a warning over clothing, none came to discuss the cuts.

Members of the Lancashire Fire Authority, which will make the decision today at a meeting at the fire service headquarters in Chorley, were invited to attend the Barnoldswick protest to hear the campaigners' case.

At the meeting today, the Mayor of Pendle, Coun George Adam, will deliver a letter supported by all members of Pendle Council setting out their arguments against Barnoldswick's second pump being axed.

Coun Whipp, who has led the fight against the move, said there was little else the people of Barnoldswick could do now, except keep their fingers crossed.

He said: "There is a group of people travelling over to the meeting from Barnoldswick and they will be lobbying fire authority members before the meeting.

"We promised to keep up the fight until the last moment and that is what we are going to do. But as soon as the meeting starts, there won't be much more we can do. We have always said that when the survey was done the risk in Barnoldswick was underestimated and the people in West Craven will be inevitably put at more risk."

Fire bosses put a number of retained crews up for the axe earlier this year because they say the crews were not needed.

Plans for Colne, where one of the two engines could go, Haslingden, where a retained crew is still under threat, and Rawtenstall, where plans would mean daytime-only staff, are expected to be rejected.

However there are still a number of proposals likely to go forward, including axeing retained crews at Accrington and cutting one of the two retained crews at Padiham, Great Harwood, and Barnoldswick.