Newspapers will reach news stands as expected this weekend after delivery staff decided to suspend plans for strike action over pay.

Workers at Menzies Distribution were due to walk out for 24 hours from 11pm tomorrow and 7pm on Monday.

The union Unite said the action had been put on hold while its members consider an improved pay offer to 300 packers, pickers and drivers.

Details of the improved offer have not been released.

The result of the new ballot is expected by Friday, September 30.

Unite officer Ian Tonks said no comment would be made until the result was known.

The strikes were due to cause disruption to newspaper deliveries across the country.

Back in April the company, which has centers in Larkfield and Ashford, proposed increasing wages to £7.25 an hour — 5p over the national living wage.

Double time pay and time off in lieu for seven of the eight bank holidays have been axed and workers now just get basic pay for bank holidays.

An overtime ban was also due to come into force from tomorrow, which dovetails with a work to rule which started last month.

Menzies has distribution centres in Bromley-by-Bow, Greenwich, Norwich, Ipswich, Portsmouth, West Thurrock, Weybridge, Dundee, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Irvine and Paisley.

Unite members had voted 86% in favour of strike action and by 91% for industrial action short of a strike.

Announcing the strike plans last week, Mr Tonks said: “The wiping out of extra pay and time off for bank holidays has caused particular anger among our members, which has been compounded by the bosses’ obsessive addiction to minimum wage pay levels.”