Hundreds of public sector workers joined Wednesday's big national strike – and thousands of pupils had an extra day's holiday as protesting teachers led to 36 schools in South East Cornwall being closed.

These included all the community colleges at Liskeard, Callington, Looe, Saltash.net, Torpoint and Fowey and most of their surrounding primary schools. Across the county 177 schools of 274 were closed.

The teachers were among hundreds of workers in the area who were supporting the one-day national strike action to protest against the government's proposed changes in pensions.

The strike also led to the closure of the Torpoint ferries for the day, except for emergency use only, leading to empty ferry lanes.

The planned water taxi to be operated by Dave Comeballack from Torpoint Yacht Harbour to get people across the river to Devonport had to be cancelled. It was discovered the jetty on the other side of the river at North Corner had been condemned and was fenced off.

Torpoint cllr John Campbell was one of scores of people from the area who work in Plymouth and had to make alternative arrangements. He caught the train at St Germans railway station. 'I really enjoyed going to work on the train,' he said.

Others faced the 17- mile journey round to Saltash and the Tamar Bridge which operated as normal.

At the One Stop Shop in Liskeard, the former offices of Caradon Council at Luxstowe, there was a skeleton staff only and there was a picket line outside the building formed by staff members wearing the official UNISON strike action tabards.

A spokesperson for the official numbers of health workers on strike in the area was unavailable for comment.

At Saltash pupils from the closed primary schools of Bishop Cornish, St Stephens and Landrake, were joined by the mayor Colin Oakes at the Guildhall, and kept busy all morning making lanterns in readiness for the town's procession and carol service tomorrow.