Newcastle University students conflicted over strike

Students at Newcastle University are among those across the UK facing disruption as lecturers and support staff in 60 universities start an eight-day strike.

Members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) are taking action in two separate disputes, one on pensions and one on pay and conditions.

The strikes will affect almost half of all UK universities.

The universities say strikes are not the way forward and promise to do all they can to minimise the impact of industrial action on students.