Courts and tax offices were expected to be badly disrupted again tomorrow as union members staged the second day of a 48-hour strike.

Today, the majority of the courts in Bradford were not sitting or were holding administration days with just one criminal Court at the Crown Court.

All trials were postponed but Judge Alistair McCallum dealt with a list of bail applications, pleas and sentencings.

Tax offices were also disrupted as members of the Public and Commercial Services union walked out on strike against proposed cuts in redundancy pay.

PCS officials in the district said they were delighted with the level of support shown for the strike.

In spite of the freezing early morning temperatures, pickets were in place outside Bradford Crown Court and main tax offices in Bradford and Shipley.

Paul Tillyer, PCS Bradford branch president, estimated that up to 85 per cent of his members had joined the strike.

He said: “I’m heartened by the level of support, which shows the strength of feeling and resolve over the issue.”

Passing motorists sounded their horns in support of the pickets and some people visiting tax offices expressed support for the union and did not go inside.

In Shipley there was also solid support for the strike, with the main HM Revenue and Customs tax centre and nearby Hockney House operating with managers and skeleton staffs.

Beth Baker, PCS Shipley branch secretary, said senior managers had been forced to take over security jobs and at Hockney House one team of 70 had been reduced to about six people.

She said: “The level of support has been very reassuring. We are particularly pleased that our members in security have supported the strike as we fought off a threat of that service being privatised last year.”

Nationally, up to 270,000 civil servants were on strike, which also hit ports, Job Centres, benefit offices, and emergency police call centres. Further disruption is planned in the run-up to the General Election expected in May.