THE strike that brought Arriva bus services to a halt in St Helens and across the North West is officially over after the firm's 11.1% pay offer was accepted.

Around 1,800 workers, who had been on strike since July 20, returned to work yesterday.

The industrial action had been suspended while a ballot took place on the offer. The result that it had been accepted was declared this afternoon.

Members of the GMB and Unite unions overwhelmingly accepted the new deal of £15 per hour.

The ballot means the five week industrial action comes to an end.

The one year 11.1 per cent offer, which will be backdated to April, applies to more than 2,000 Unite members.

An Arriva statement read: "We can confirm our latest pay offer has been accepted by Unite and GMB members, this means industrial action in now concluded and Arriva services will continue to operate as normal throughout the North West.

"The pay offer made is going to place challenges upon the sustainability of the network and we are focused on minimising that impact."

George Patterson, GMB Organiser, said: "GMB members at Arriva should be very proud of themselves. By standing together they’ve won themselves the pay rise they deserve.

"It's just disappointing it took five weeks of financial hardship and public inconvenience to get there – especially as the company had the finances to fund the pay rise the whole time."