Members of the Fire Brigades Union have decided to end the long running dispute over pay and conditions after an impassioned plea from general secretary Andy Gilchrist.

A special recall conference of the FBU backed a decision of the union's executive council to accept a pay offer of a 16 per cent rise over two-and-a-half years, linked to an overhaul of working practices.

But the union expressed anger at the government's decision to press ahead with its Fire Services Bill, giving the deputy prime minister powers to impose changes in the deployment and working conditions of fire fighters.