A bus drivers strike planned in Aberdeen on Wednesday has been suspended.

First Aberdeen staff rejected a fresh pay offer on Monday after talks involving conciliation service ACAS.

But now a fresh offer is set to be put on the table, before a ballot takes place on Wednesday and Thursday.

The strike action, which has included 24-hour stoppages and a week-long walk out, was launched last month.

First Bus' proposals for the new contracts have been criticised for increasing drivers' working hours for reduced wages as well as for reduced sick pay, annual leave and holiday pay and the scrapping paid breaks.

The company drew up the plans following a reduction in passenger numbers across the city.

Andrew Jarvis, managing director at First Aberdeen, said: "First Aberdeen have today been successful with a last-ditch attempt to avoid indefinite strike action tomorrow via a full and final offer made to our Unite the Union colleagues.

"This revised offer was made to Unite the Union by the company on the condition that the industrial action planned be immediately suspended and the offer be put to Unite members via a further consultative workplace ballot.

"We are happy to report that the trade union representatives have not only agreed to these terms, but will also be recommending this offer to their members and the planned action for Wednesday has now been suspended pending the ballot.

"This offer is the absolute maximum that the company can sustain and cannot be revised any further due to the financial challenges. We now await the outcome of a second ballot with interest, which, we understand will now take place over the course of Wednesday and Thursday.

"Customers can now be assured that services will run to a normal timetable and we are hopeful that this final offer will be voted for by our staff to bring an end to this dispute."