NHS workers returned to the picket line just six weeks after their last walk-out.

Nurses, radiographers and paramedics were all involved in national NHS action over the Government’s refusal to give a 1% pay rise.

In Huddersfield striking staff stood outside the ambulance station on Westbourne Road and by the main entrance of the infirmary.

The walk-out by 11 unions from 7am to 11am caused some disruption to out-patient appointments but not to life threatening incidents.

Unions are working to rule for the rest of the week by refusing to do overtime and insisting on taking all breaks.

NHS England has claimed fewer than 3% of staff due on shift this morning were absent on strike (12,303 out 453,664) compared to 4.6% on the October 13 strike.

Simon Rochell, a Unison steward at Huddersfield, said the fight would go on.

“Until something happens we will continue to raise this issue for members,” he said.

“All staff that are on shift have come out on strike and people going past have been showing their support for us.

“Someone came down and gave us a donation and another person gave us cakes for all the members.

“Morale is exceptionally low in the service because of pay and conditions. Three members have recently left Dewsbury station.

“But enthusiasm for a strike is high and we’re all in good spirits here.

“There’s a will to go on until our demands are met.”

Unlike in London, no cover for striking staff was brought in by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Members were responding to so called “life and limb” 999 calls during the four-hour strike.

This reporter witnessed staff respond to two 999 calls along with support from passing motorists’ beeping their horns.

Meanwhile in London a new row flared up after the Government claimed it had put forward proposals to guarantee all staff would get at least 1% this year and next, but it had been rejected.

Unions said that “simply wasn’t true”, pointing out it was the Coalition’s decision not to accept a recommendation from the Pay Review Body (PRB) which sparked the dispute earlier this year.

Unison leader Dave Prentis, who joined a picket line outside the London Ambulance Service HQ, said: “It’s ludicrous that the Government is keeping up the pretence that all staff are getting a 1% pay rise, and it doesn’t matter how often they say it; it’s simply not true.

“The fact is the independent NHS Pay Review Body recommended a 1% pay rise for all but this was rejected by the Government and now 60% won’t even be getting a 1% pay rise.

“The PRB have kept the industrial peace for the past 25 years. The Government should pay up and stop playing games.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “NHS staff are our greatest asset and we want to make the current pay system fairer - which is why we have put forward proposals that would guarantee all staff would get at least a 1% pay rise this year and next, but these have been rejected by the unions.

“We have taken tough decisions to increase the NHS budget, but we can’t afford a consolidated pay rise in addition to increments without risking 10,000 frontline jobs.”