A couple who are both firefighters said they face a tough time as neither will be paid for time spent manning the picket lines.

Drew Agger and Robin Stenhouse with Bess

Drew Agger, based at Oxford's Rewley Road station, and her partner, Robin Stenhouse, based at Abingdon, are the only full-time couple in Oxfordshire who are striking. Yesterday they took their dog Bess to the strike dressed in a yellow FBU t-shirt.

Miss Agger, who was a contestant in this year's TV show Survivor, and Mr Stenhouse said it was an unfortunate strike but essential if the service was to win the proper pay scale firefighters deserved.

Mr Stenhouse, who earns £23,000 a year after ten years in the service, said: "We have no children. For other firefighters with families it will be worse because it is their only income."

Miss Agger has been in the fire service for nearly two years and earns £18,500.

She said: "We face a bleak Christmas along with many other families. We will have to cut back but it is something we will have to go through.

"We want talks to start again and the Government will have to come up with something better."