Civil servants in 24-hr strike

Tens of thousands of civil servants across the country today walked out on strike in protest over huge job cuts.

Union leaders said the stoppages would force driving tests to be cancelled and cut custom and immigration services, leading to delays at air and ferry terminals. Museums could be forced to remain shut all day.

Jobcentres, benefit and tax collection offices would also be hit. Picket lines formed outside many government offices and strikers planned to demonstrate in London.

The 24-hour strike - the service's biggest for more than a decade - is in protest over plans to axe over 100,000 jobs. The Public and Commercial Services Union says this will "devastate" services to the public.