Felixstowe dockers will go on a second eight-days strike in a dispute over pay at the end of this month.

Unite the union has sent Port of Felixstowe bosses notice that its 1,900 members will take part in industrial action from September 27 for eight days until October 5.

"The collective bargaining process has been exhausted and there is no prospect of agreement being reached with the union," Port of Felixstowe port said in a notice on its website.

"We are very disappointed that Unite has announced this further strike action at this time," the statement said.

The Port of Felixstowe implemented the 7% pay award plus 500 pounds backdated to 1 January 1, 2022, without agreement by the workers.

With inflation having topped 10% in July and projected by the Bank of England to exceed 13% next month, Unite says the 7% pay offer represents a "real terms pay cut.

They also warned that the strike at the UK's largest container port will cause severe disruption, affecting Christmas supplies.

"Further strike action will inevitably lead to delays and disruption to the UK's supply chain but this is entirely of the company's own making," Unite national officer for docks Bobby Morton said, referring to port operator CK Hutchison.

Workers at the country's biggest container port, walked out last month in the first strike to hit the port since 1989.