Hundreds of workers from Macclesfield were among three million public sector workers striking today.

The industrial action in protest at pension cuts, a later retirement age and pay freezes caused chaos for schools, family centres, hospital and council ­services.

Cheshire East Council appealed to residents to check on vulnerable adults as many vital services were paralysed.

The police drafted in officers to answer 999 calls, the Jobcentre closed and Macclesfield Magistrates opened just one of its courts.

Of the 300 council employees based in Macclesfield, only 100 turned up for work – many agency staff.

About 25 council workers formed picket lines at the waste and bereavement depots at West Park and Commercial Road in Macclesfield before meeting later in front of the town hall.

Phil Mason, Cheshire East Unison representative and a Cheshire East environmental health worker, said that no bin lorries had left the depots in the town – the council accepted it had been able to make only 'limited' rounds.

Mr Mason said: “We would have hoped for a bigger turn out at the town hall but we hope our action has had some impact and the Government will reconsider – capping pay increases at one per cent yesterday just rubbed salt in our wounds.”

He described the public as having given 'passive' support, and residents who spoke to the Express gave a mixed reaction, but many parents forced to look after their children were supportive of the strike.

At Macclesfield Hospital, workers gathered early on the picket line.

Strikes did hinder services – departments like physiotherapy, radiology, the mortuary and histology were running on a limited or emergency-only basis.

Richard Sutton, 40, an occupational therapist on the picket line, said: “I believe that we are being made to pay for a situation we didn't create, we put up with a pay freeze for two years, the only perk we get is a half decent pension and that's going to be taken away from us.”

From early in the morning and throughout the day, about 15 paramedics, GMB and Unison members, gathered around a burning bin at Macclesfield Ambulance Station on Chester Road.

Emergency medical technician Sharon Middleton, of Gawsworth Road, Macclesfield, was on the picket line with her three children Zoe, nine, Alex, eight, and Chloe, four – all Whirley Primary pupils.

She said: “David Cameron advised people to take their children to work during the strikes so that's what I've done. We don't want to be lifting people down stairs at the age of 67.”

Routine and non-urgent ambulance call-outs were cancelled and at Macclesfield only two of the six vehicles could be taken out.

At Cheshire Constabulary, Assistant Chief Constable Janette McCormick said central services and neighbourhood policing had not been affected.

Picket lines were also formed at the Mental Health unit of Macclesfield Hospital and at the Probation depot.