THOUSANDS of pensioners have proven they have anything but one foot in the grave after braving the rain for the Fylde coast's annual Pensioners' March this week.

The march -- from Blackpool's North Pier to the Winter Gardens -- was organised as part of the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) in the resort on Tuesday, July 1.

Britain's 11 million pensioners are currently among the poorest in Europe with a state pension of around £67.80 per week, while their contemporaries in Germany, France and Holland live off allowances of more than £242.

Each winter hundreds die of hypothermia after trying to survive by rationing the heating in their homes and many face a constant struggle with rising health and transport costs.

More than 3,000 over-60s travelled -- some from as far away as Norfolk and the Highlands -- to the resort to take part in the march sporting banners, boards and outfits in a bid to raise public awareness.

The marchers then made their way back to the convention inside the Winter Gardens to hear newly-appointed Pensions Minister, Malcolm Wicks, make his first speech in office.

Marcher, 78-year-old Mary Digan, of Coatbridge in Scotland said: "There are many other European countries who provide their elderly with a more substantial income and standard of living.

"The cost of living in today's Britain is getting higher and higher and our pension payments should reflect this, but they are nowhere near."

Wearing a red London bus outfit, Terry Hutt, 68, of Waltham Abbey in London, said: "Apart from poor pensions, my biggest gripe is the lack of help with transport costs from government. Many older people find themselves stuck at home because they are infirm and can't walk too far, but can't afford to get out and about by public transport because of increasingly extortionate fares."

Monica Armitage-Smith, 81, of Lambeth in London, said: "Actions like this force the government and the public to take notice of us and, hopefully, help us to live comfortably without worrying about how to keep up with bills."

NCP Chairman, Rodney Bickerstaffe said: "Britian is the fourth richest economy in the world and we should be able to do better for our pensioners.

"There are around 11 million pensioners in the UK now, but there are also another 59 million potential pensioners. We need to ensure everyone has the chance to grow old comfortably."