STRIKING bus drivers and children's services campaigners were serenaded on the picket line by folk star Billy Bragg.

The singer showed solidarity with the King Street protest at 9am as First Dorset bus drivers gathered to speak out about unequal pay.

Also keen to make their voices heard, campaigners for paediatric and maternity services at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) took to the street this morning.

Mr Bragg, a member of the labour party, took his guitar and led the assembly in a rendition of his 1986 song There is Power in the Union.

He said: "As a member of the Labour Party, we've been talking about this strike for a while.

"I know they've got a big meeting today, I thought it was a good time to go down and show some support.

"Hopefully it will encourage them to stay solid and fight for the terms they want."

Naomi Patterson, a campaigner fighting to keep children's services and maternity care at DCH, brought children to the protest as well.

Mr Bragg added: "Naomi is organising a march on September 17 and I'm going along to support that.

"DCH has already suffered a bit and Naomi's campaign has highlighted that.

"We all have to stand together in support of our National Health Service and make that cuts don't affect the patient.

"I'm in a line of work that was founded by a man called Woody Guthrie.

"Most of the time he was playing, he was playing on picket lines.

"He didn't get the packed concerts like I did and I think that in order to talk it, you have to walk it.

"This isn't the first time I've been on the picket line and it won't be the last."

Councillors Tia Roos, Colin Huckle, Paul Kimber and Ann Weaving also came out to King Street to show their support.

Cllr Roos said: “It was absolutely fantastic – very much a grass roots occasion.

“A lot of Momentum members joined Unite members in a really nice turn out.

“Billy Bragg hit the nail on the head when he spoke about communities getting together and supporting each other, being on the front line and putting faith back into people.

“Music inspires people and him coming down was really important."