IN REPLY to Leaver at Large (LET, October 23) I am glad that someone has the nerve to stand up to the bullying tactics being employed by the firemen.

I agree wholeheartedly with Eric Leaver with the suggestion that if the firemen put in for a reasonable pay rise and tried more discussions then the public would have more sympathy, but as pointed out, the stress and danger of their job is no more than many other jobs.

Take the paramedic service for instance. They are called out far more often than the fire brigade, they arrive at horrific scenes of people suffering and in pain and have to deal with the trauma on the spot, making life and death decisions instantaneously.

They witness death almost every day -- how often do the firemen?

Policemen, accident and emergency nurses, doctors, teachers etc -- the list is endless of people facing stressful and sometimes dangerous situations daily, and as the Government rightly points out, if they give in to these bully boy tactics then the floodgates will open and our economy will take a dive back in time.

I am not saying the firemen don't deserve to earn a good wage, but then so do a lot of other people, and I, like a lot of other people, feel that their 40 per cent claim is excessive.

SUE TAYLOR, Robin Bank Road, Darwen.