"Lives may be put at risk" – this was the stark warning from Dover Coastguard as staff go on strike over the bank holiday weekend.

Twenty-eight workers from the rescue call centre at Dover are set to join hundreds from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in a 48-hour walkout, which is due to start at 8pm Saturday.

It is the latest in a series of strikes by staff who are protesting over pay levels being lower than other emergency services.

Trevor Dowle, watch manager for Dover Coastguard, said: "We are reluctant to take industrial action as the general public may be put at more risk than normal.

"People who are covering for us will not be as trained as a coastguard officer. My advice to the public is to take special care and avoid doing anything unnecessarily dangerous."

The union hopes the Government will review the MCA's pay levels in accordance with other emergency services - especially coastguard watch assistants who receive the lowest pay within the agency.

Mr Dowle added: "Last year, the people at the lower end of the scale were given a 17p pay increase to avoid them falling below the new minimum wage - this is a disgrace.

"We are asking for the pay grading review to be implemented, so the lowest grade is on par with the lowest grade in other emergency organisations."

The strike is due to end at 8pm Monday.