STRIKING junior doctors and their supporters manned a picket line outside Airedale Hospital yesterday.

The demonstration began at 8am and involved a group of about 25 people with placards outside the main entrance in Skipton Road.

The latest 24-hour walkout took place after doctors participated in an earlier strike on January 12. The industrial action is due to an increasingly acrimonious dispute between junior doctors and the Government regarding pay and conditions.

Formal talks to try and resolve the dispute broke down in January, with one of the key sticking points being payments for working on Saturdays.

The Government has argued change is needed to ensure a genuinely 24/7 NHS.

But the junior doctors picketing in bitterly cold conditions outside Airedale argued the Government's stance had given them no other option.

One of the doctors, Megan Atkinson, said: "The contract they are trying to impose on us is not fair and, in the long-term, it will put patients in danger."

Nicola Holmes, a first year doctor also taking part in the strike, said: "A 'seven-day-a-week NHS' is a good headline-grabber for the Government but it isn't possible to further burden what is already an overstretched service.

"We are doing 24/7 emergency work already. Our patients support us 100 per cent."

Respiratory registrar, Chris Marshall, said: "It's simple maths. How can the Government say we need to work more weekends but won't be working more hours? As it is, we are working at full capacity now."

First year GP trainee, Robert Holt, said: "We don't feel there are sufficient assurances in the contract to prevent unsafe levels of working hours for doctors."

The doctors were backed by members of the Keighley and Skipton branches of the campaign group 38 Degrees, who turned out to reinforce the picket line.

Caroline Whitaker, of the Keighley branch, said: "The Government is trying to get more hours out of the doctors for less money. Junior doctors already work weekends."

Stacey Hunter, director of operations at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said: "Patient safety is our priority and we've worked with our staff, including consultants, nurses, other health professionals and union representatives, to ensure high quality and safe care and welfare are maintained."

A hospital spokesman added: "We have cancelled two operations as a result of the industrial action by junior doctors.

"We have also cancelled 26 outpatient clinic appointments, which should have taken place. Any urgent or fast-track patients with appointments have been seen.

"About 85 per cent of our junior doctors took part in the strike."