Hundreds of British Army troops are training to drive ambulances and work as firefighters, in the event that industrial action should take place - according to the Government.
In the region of 2,000 military personnel, civil servants and other government volunteers are said to have been preparing, while ministers brace themselves for strikes across the public sector.
The Cabinet Office have announced that they included up to 600 military troops, as well as 700 staff from the Gov's specialist Surge and Rapid Response Team - while also drafting in other members from across the Civil Service.
