A TRIO of pensioners with a combined age of 257 have dubbed themselves The Three Musketeers to launch a protest against the council tax.

The veterans, aged 81, 83 and 93, are all residents at Dove Court residential home in Burnley and argue that the tax is unfair and is crippling young and old alike.

They launched their campaign under the names of the Three Musketeers -- Aramis, Athos and Porthos -- so they would not have to reveal their real names.

However they have now been unmasked as Fred Wilson, 83, Harry McWhinney, 93, and Jim Large, 81 -- who have adopted the motto "All for one , and one for all!"

They say they have been inundated with letters of support and people signing a special petition.

They are now preparing to take their duel with the Government to Burnley town centre tomorrow where they will urge shoppers to sign the petition.

The trio were allborn and bred in the town and met about two years ago in the residential home.

The trio, like all pensioners in residential care homes, are exempt from council tax charges, but that did not stop them sticking up for people who have to pay it.

Fred, who served as a bomber command pilot with the RAF and worked as a lecturer, said: "People young and old are contacting us and saying they are finding it difficult to pay. There must be a better way.

"We are not doing this for ourselves, we're doing it for younger people, including other pensioners. We have had a very good response to our campaign and we won't stop."

The trio is completed by Harry, who worked for 60 years in the town's cotton mills, and Jim, who worked at Bak Hall Colliery before joining the RAF.

Last month, pensioner Brian Jackson, 55, of Duke Street, Winewall, Trawden, launched a campaign against the council tax in Pendle and said he had been "inundated" with phone calls and e-mails.

He has now affiliated his campaign to the Is It Fair? internet-based campaign against the tax, backed by the Royal British Legion.

Mr Jackson said: "Since I started this campaign I have been inundated with hundreds of phone calls, e-mails and letters from around East Lancashire.

"The council tax is crippling many people and pensioners are especially affected. People simply cannot afford to pay this tax in its current form and we are arguing it should be replaced with a local income tax."

The Three Musketeers will be in the Charter Walk Shopping Centre behind Boots the Chemist from 10am on Saturday.

Burnley Council declined to comment.