Junior Doctors On Merseyside Stage 24 Walkout

Thousands of junior doctors on Merseyside have gone on strike for the first time in more than 40 years.

They walked out of hospitals across the region from 8am this morning and the action will continue for 24 hours.

It's the culmination of a bitter row between the British Medical Association and the government over pay and conditions, and will cause huge disruption for patients with all services affected aside from emergency care.

Around 4000 operations across the UK are set to be cancelled today as a result of the strikes.

Junior Doctor Charlotte Elliott told Radio City "For me the main concern is the safety aspect - what the Government is proposing is to take away vital safeguards that protect us from working long hours. I don't know about you but I don't want to be treated by a doctor who's tired - and I don't want to be that doctor who's tired, who's putting my patients' lives at risk."

Matt Bridge is another who's taken to the picket line at Aintree Hospital today.

"I can't believe we've had to (strike) to be honest. The Government came to us with such an extreme proposal years, months ago, I thought it was just a bargaining tool. They wanted us to work more more nights, more weekends, for a 20% pay cut - and remove all safeguards for how many hours we are going to work each week...there's just no way I actually thought they were going to try and force this through."

The British Medical Association say they've had great support from the public over the strike - and that patients are on the side of the doctors.

Mary from Bootle isn't a doctor - but has joined the picket line as a member of the public to show her solidarity with them.

"I appreciate what all the doctors, junior and otherwise, do in the hospital. I've used the hospital several times - used it for my family as well - and I don't want to see the NHS destroyed. And if the Government carry on the way they are now - they will destroy it."