Angry public sector workers marched through the streets of Exeter during a mass strike that hit schools and services across the city.
Teachers, firefighters, carers, refuse collectors and street cleaners were among those in Exeter who joined the nationwide action on Thursday over pay and pensions.
Picket lines assembled at County Hall and Exeter Central Library as part one of the biggest co-ordinated strikes in years which unions claim brought public sector services to a standstill.
Around 200 people took part in a march and rally in the city centre, while many others refused to work.
As the protestors marched along Sidwell Street and the High Street, they chanted: 'What do we want? Fair pay. When do we want it? Now!"
Teresa Mulligan, of the Exeter-based Rural Payments Agency, said: "Life is so hard for many workers that's it an easy decision to strike. People are really struggling to maintain a decent quality of life, and some are being forced into poverty."
But the strike was not universally supported, with some members of the public openly voicing their opposition to the action.
Roland Heale, 68, who lives on Burnthouse Lane, said: "To block-off the High Street like this like is ridiculous. They should be at work, not striking."
Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) walked out in an ongoing row with Education Secretary Michael Gove over pay, conditions of service and workload.
Mike Gurney, Devon NUT deputy secretary, said: "Teachers are getting incredibly stressed, because they are working 60-hour weeks in primary schools and Michael Gove keeps making changes that are not good for education.
"There seems to be plenty of money to give rich people a tax cut, but they say there isn't money to give low paid workers a decent payrise."
Around 300 NUT members took part in a city centre march and rally in March, chanting "Gove must go! Out, out, out!"
Four schools in Exeter, Mid and East Devon were officially closed or partially shut, according to a list published by Devon County Council.
Those schools were: The Central Devon Personalised Learning Service and Ellen Tickham School in Exeter; Exeter Road Community Primary School in Exmouth and Tiverton High School in Mid Devon.
But the total of shut schools may have been higher as head teachers were not obliged to disclose their school's status.
Devon County Council said disruption would be kept to a minimum.
The action was called by those representing public sector workers who want an end to pay freezes, and below-inflation wage increases.
Unions claim many council and school support workers have been left struggling financially, with some relying on foodbanks, second jobs and in-work benefits.
The Conservatives want to revise strike laws to make them illegal unless over half of union members support the action.
But they have been forced to put their plans into the manifesto rather than legislation because of Liberal Democrat opposition.
