A dispute over pay at a bi-weekly newspaper could escalate into a 20-day stoppage.

The National Union of Journalists, which is in dispute with the owners of the Spalding Guardian and Lincolnshire Free Press, has given notice of a second ten-day strike to run on from the current ten-day stoppage.

Thirteen members of the 18-strong editorial staff are union members and they are in the fifth day of their third strike.

Informal talks have taken place between the union and management of Welland Valley Newspapers, which is owned by Johnston Press, but the union has said there has been little progress over its ten-point claim, which includes an across-the-board pay rise, a new pay scale, a one-off payment for seniors and a pay rise of some 20 per cent for journalism trainees.

According to NUJ figures, trainee journalists on the paper currently earn £9,500, while qualified seniors with at least two years' experience earn £12,000.

The company made an improved offer at the beginning of this month but it was rejected by the NUJ, whose members are picketing the Spalding offices on a rota basis.

The company also says it has offered pay scales for existing staff in line with the NUJ claim but no one was available from Welland Valley Newspapers for comment on the latest developments.