GLOBETROTTING grandmother Audrey Gregory was furious when a holiday firm grounded her for being TOO OLD.

Mrs Gregory discovered she could not go with Solo because she had celebrated her 70th birthday the month before.

The holiday company, which caters for mature, single travellers, has an upper age limit of 69 and refuses to make exceptions.

Former teacher Mrs Gregory was so disgusted she contacted MP Ruth Kelly who has now started a battle to outlaw bias against older people.

Mrs Gregory, from Milverton Close, Lostock, has travelled all over the world alone and with friends and four years ago trekked across South America.

She said: "I was thinking of going to Mexico and not many people of my age want to go on such a long haul. I sent off for Solo's brochure.

"I was disgusted when I saw the age limits. This kind of blanket prejudice makes me really angry.

"It should be on someone's state of health and not their chronological age." A spokeswoman for Solo sympathised but said there were practical and social reasons for the upper age limits and suggested Mrs Gregory try Saga holidays.

She said: "Our holidays are designed to suit people between 28 and 70. We have not got the set up to deal with older or younger people. We also have to provide the age range which will create the right social mix." Mrs Gregory decided not to bother with Mexico and is taking a computer course instead but MP Ruth Kelly took the matter up with Consumer Affairs Minister Nigel Griffiths. Mrs Kelly said: "He informs me that his hands are tied. There is currently a discrepancy whereby there are laws to protect workers against sex and race discrimination but none to combat age discrimination.

"Clearly, age discrimination is a problem that exists throughout our society and one that needs to be addressed."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.