Thousands of postal workers across the UK are to strike on Friday as a row over jobs, pay and services escalates.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says more than 12,000 members will walk out for 24 hours, in a move which threatens the worst disruption to deliveries for years.

Workers taking part will include those based in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke-on-Trent, Plymouth, Norfolk and Essex.

Friday's action will be the latest in a series of strikes to have hit parts of the UK in recent weeks and comes amid fears of an all-out national dispute.

CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "There are serious and growing problems in the postal sector which urgently need resolving.

"We have renewed our offer of a three-month no-strike deal to Royal Mail in return for meaningful talks over modernisation.

"The current cuts, bullying managers and ever-increasing workloads on a shrinking workforce cannot continue. Pressure and stress is at breaking point for postal workers."

The union has accused Royal Mail of cutting the pay and jobs of postal workers without agreement and of reducing services.

It claims bosses have abandoned the final phase of a deal which ended a national strike in 2007 and Mr Ward is warning that without progress the dispute will turn into a national strike.

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.