Union bosses last night called a halt to strike action over the dismissal of an overweight firefighter after he was given his job back.

Union bosses last night called a halt to strike action over the dismissal of an overweight firefighter after he was given his job back.

The Fire Brigades Union had voted to ballot firefighters in the Grampian region after one of its members was sacked for being overweight.

Kevin Ogilvie, 46, was axed from the service last month.

But he was reinstated last night following two days of talks held at Grampian Fire and Rescue HQ in Aberdeen.

FBU bosses will withdraw the ballot for strike action.

The FBU and Grampian Fire & Rescue Service management issued a statement last night after holding talks with conciliation and arbitration service Acas. It said they had reached a "compromise agreement".

The statement said: "At a meeting with Acas it was agreed that Grampian Fire & Rescue Service would continue the employment of the firefighter subject to agreed strict criteria which will be closely monitored.

"The issue of appeals to the Joint Fire Board on dismissals for all future cases will be formally raised at the September Board meeting by the FBU."

Mr Ogilvie, who has been a firefighter for 22 years, was dismissed after he failed an annual fitness test earlier this year.