PASSENGERS face another day of chaos after bus drivers in Fareham voted unanimously to strike tomorrow.

In angry exchanges at the Hoeford bus depot last night First drivers branded a 5p an hour increase a joke, loudly berating and heckling union officials for recommending it.

All 122 drivers sent a clear message to union and company bosses by voting to reject the offer and they upped the stakes by planning the first two-day strike on August 2 and 3.

It means that tomorrow will be the third day of torment for around 20,000 daily bus users in Fareham who will be stranded as all but one route in the town are run by First.

Transport and General Workers' Union local secretary John Biddle said: "It was very heated, feelings were running high. There wasn't much I could say to them at first because they were shouting and bawling at me.

"They said in no uncertain terms that we should have never brought the offer back. It is not good enough. But we felt we had to let them have the chance to have their say on it.

"It is very clear that First need to start doing much more than they have been doing to come up with a sensible offer or this will continue."

Fellow First drivers at the Hilsea depot also unanimously voted for action, meaning services in Fareham, Gosport and Portsmouth will be seriously hit.

First offered 30p more basic rate and 28p more for drivers with five years experience - around 5p increase from their initial settlement.

Drivers are holding out for a basic rate of around £7.20 an hour - to bring them level with their colleagues who work for First in Southampton - which is an increase of about £1.50 an hour.

First driver Paul Nolan, 25, from Park Gate, said after the meeting: "The offer was a joke. We need a sensible offer and unless we get it we are all 100 per cent behind more strike action."

Hugh Kirkbride, TGWU regional organiser, said: "The action tomorrow goes ahead. I have spoken to the company and said it's quite clear that the offer on the table doesn't satisfy our members' needs and aspirations."

First declined to comment.