MASSIVE strike action will hit Gwent next week, forcing schools and colleges to close and hitting almost every council service.

Local authorities are currently drawing up action plans to cope with the loss of thousands of workers during the joint Unison, Amicus, T&GWU and Ucatt unions strike on Wednesday.

Monmouthshire and Torfaen councils say it is inevitable schools will close for the day because of a lack of classroom assistants, canteen and clerical staff.

South Wales fire service will be hit too as support staff join the action although bosses are keen to stress there will be no impact on emergency calls.

Amost 1.25million workers across the country will walk out in a row over pensions and plans to raise the retirement age of public servants from 60 to 65.

The 24-hour stoppage will cripple public services and close libraries, Jobcentres and council offices and see workers such as street cleaners walk out. Headteacher at Monmouth Comprehensive School, Carol Anderson, said the safety of pupils had to be put first.

She said they were not prepared to put youngsters and staff at risk walking through picket lines.

Newport, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent councils said they were bracing themselves for disruption.

A Newport Council spokesman said: "We are currently working with the trade unions to keep disruption to a minimum and will be drawing up contingency plans in order to ensure the impact of the action on the community is kept to a minimum."

In Torfaen, a spokesman said it was likely all schools would close. He said similar action three years ago saw 20 schools closed with others shutting early at lunch-time.

But this time bosses had decided it would be less disruptive if all closed for the entire day. Unison's head of local government in Wales, Paul Elliott said people were angry the government and Local Government Association were not prepared to sit down and realistically discuss the problems perceived with pension schemes.

And in a further blow, the NUT is seeking joint action with other teachers' unions and is suggesting Tuesday, April 26, as a possible date for a "second wave" of action.