Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said the company was disappointed by the court’s decision. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

A tube strike will go ahead on Boxing Day after London Underground lost a legal challenge to halt the industrial action.

Members of the drivers' union Aslef will stage a 24-hour walkout on Sunday over a claim for triple pay and a day off in lieu.

London Underground sought an injunction but the high court in London ruled against the company after a hearing lasting almost four hours.

Mike Brown, managing director of the tube company, said it was disappointed by the court's decision.

He said: "We have tried to resolve this dispute through negotiation, but our offer to reduce the number of drivers rostered to work on Boxing Day was flatly rejected, and union representatives walked out of talks at Acas. This left us no option but to seek a legal solution."

Brown added that as many tube services as possible would run on Boxing Day.

Aslef general secretary Keith Norman has said the dispute centres around a 'bizarre' management claim that Boxing Day is an ordinary working day. The union described this position as nonsense and has insisted on generous premium rates for drivers working on 26 December.

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