Unofficial strike action has been taken by contractors at RWE's Little Barford Power Station, near in St Neots, in a dispute over pay and the cost of living crisis.

A picket line of five formed at 8am on August 10, with a representative of the workers saying that nearly all other personnel had left with unofficial strikes taking place at several other industrial sites across the UK.

The strike action was in response to the Engineering Construction Industry Association's (ECIA) refusal to recognise the impact of the cost of living crisis and inflation, said the representative.

The representative added: "We received a 2.5 per cent pay rise in January and will receive 2.5 per cent again in January next year. Due to events beyond our control, inflation is running at nearly 12 per cent.

"Many employers have acknowledged these events and have negotiated pay rises and one-off payments. Unfortunately, workers covered by the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) and those whose pay mirrors the NAECI are expected to get on with it.

"It's not the power station's fault, but we have to take a stand."

RWE own and run the power plant, which is currently shut for maintenance and major overhaul activity.

Those taking strike action are employed by a third party rather than RWE itself and are there to carry out work on the site.

An RWE spokesperson said: “The unofficial industrial action is being carried out by personnel employed by our contractors.

"RWE employees are not directly involved in the unofficial industrial action but are helping maintain site safety throughout.

"The plant is currently shut down for planned major overhaul activities on the gas turbines and the steam turbine, and so this action is not impacting on the plant’s ability to operate.

“A picket line has been formed, and we will respect an individual’s decision to choose not to cross it.”

The RWE spokesperson added that the picket line had dispersed by 9am and understood that it would only last for one day.