I WISH the Government would give more warning before announcing stupendous news -- 'Pensioners to get £2.25 extra per week from April next year'.

I was almost flattened by an unruly mob of pensioners doing the conga (zimmers and all) across Moor Lane and the market, celebrating the news -- all planning what to spend the rise on.... Perhaps a night at the cinema? No good, not enough, or perhaps another packet of fags or pipe 'baccy' (sorry, not enough again). Ah well, it will go towards next year's bills that will have gone up by next April. How Gordon Brown got to the paltry figure of £2.25, bringing a single pensioner to the princely sum of £69.75 per week I'll never know? The same man is on over £2000 per week. Where is the Labour Party policy of equality in this case? And, don't let us have the 'blame it on Maggie' brigade start shouting. It is Labour in power and they can change anything that suits them when it suits them.

So, come on you Labour MPs, have a go at your mate Gordon and get the pensioners a realistic pay rise. They've earned it after two World Wars and working for 45 years. After all, the thousands of bogus immigrants and asylum seekers have paid in nothing, but get more out than the pensioners.

Before I shut up, no I'm not a pensioner, I'm a fully paid up working Brit.

M T Halligan

Paderborn Court

Bolton