THOUSANDS of public sector workers will march through Swindon town centre today as part of the nationwide protest at Government changes to pensions.

Union leaders expect most services will be reduced in what is thought to be the biggest in Swindon since the General Strike of 1926.

Swindon Council, Great Western Hospital, Great Western Ambulance Service and Wiltshire Police will all be affected, with the action also expected to hit the Job Centre Plus, the tax office and research councils.

Swindon’s schools are the worst hit, with most either completely or fully shut. Swindon College and New College are running as normal.

Some police staff are expected to walk out, but the force plans to cover key roles, such as call handling.

It is thought 7,000 staff from 17 unions in Swindon will walk out.

Strikers will march from Wharf Green at 10.30am and head down Commercial Road to MECA, where there will be a rally at 11am, before strikers disperse to man pickets at key public buildings Among the strikers is Stuart Dark, a 50-year-old project surveyor at Swindon Council, whose projected pension would reduce from £8,000 per year to £6,000 a year if the Government’s plans went ahead.

Mr Dark, a father-of-one from Wootton Bassett, said: “I have been in local government since leaving school, paying into the pension scheme.

“I’ve now turned 50 and it’s looking like I’m going to have to pay half as much again as I pay each year to get a lower pension. I’m going to have to work longer before I get that pension and I’m going to get a lot less. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Bryony Caron, 59, a specialist support assistant at St Luke’s Special School, which is closed today, will not be affected by the proposals because of her age – but she is striking to support her colleagues.

Ms Caron, a mother-of-two from Toothill, said: “Negotiations have gone on but it seems to me, from what I know, there’s a certain amount of intransigence, and when it gets that far, industrial action is called for.”