Major disruption for Christmas shoppers and football fans who use the Tyne and Wear Metro

Christmas shoppers and football fans face severe disruption in the coming days as some Tyne and Wear Metro train crews walk out.

A strike by RMT union members means that there will be no services, across the whole Metro network, on Friday 20 December and Saturday 21 December.

Tyne and Wear Metro Credit: PA

The industrial action is likely to cause severe disruption for Christmas shoppers and also Newcastle United football fans, who usually take the Metro to home games.

The Magpies welcome Crystal Palace to St James' Park on Saturday 21 December.

St James' Park Credit: PA

The walk out is part of an ongoing dispute over pay and working hours. In November, RMT train crews rejected a 15% pay rise and change to overtime working.

READ MORE: Metro drivers back industrial action over pay, operator Nexus 'astonished'

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro is urging staff to rethink industrial action and look again at the pay rise on offer

Metro Services Director, Chris Carson, said: