NEXT week’s strike at the Cheltenham Festival will go ahead after pay talks broke down yesterday.

Unite officer Davy McMurray said the union rejected the offer from bookmakers SP Graham of a 4 per cent increase which would have left workers 9p above the minimum wage.

McMurray called on SP Graham to increase their offer and start paying their workers the living wage, with workers ready to go on strike throughout the duration of the festival, March 15-18.