AGEISM is on the increase in Britain, according to a survey carried out by Age Concern.

Results revealed that 70 per cent of people believe that age discrimination exists in this country.

It included tales of how people over 50 found it difficult to get a job, secure a loan or even receive medical treatment, because they are deemed 'too old'.

So, the Bury Times visited the Jubilee Centre, an indoor and outdoor pursuit centre for the over-50s on Mosley Avenue, Bury, to see whether age really does prove a stumbling block.

Graham Young (62) from Bury was made redundant when he was 54. He said: "They didn't make it obvious that it was because they thought I was too old. But I know it was.

"They did it subtly. They couldn't make it official that I was too old so they interviewed me for my own job and then I didn't get it."

Mr Young said that things worked out for him because he had a private pension. He said: "I'm OK but people without a pension wouldn't be. They'd be straight down the job centre." Sheila Kenneford (69) from Tottington thinks that the problem arises because companies find it hard to get insurance for older people. She said: "I applied for a part-time job but didn't get it because I was one year short of 70, which is when you can't get insured, and it wasn't worth them taking me on."

Mrs Kenneford believes that people are still young in their 60s and perfectly capable of working. She said: "Whilst 60 is young, the only work they think we're capable of is voluntary work. I suppose they are worried that we might get ill."

Veronica Hill (73) from Unsworth believes people often need to keep working beyond retirement age because their pension or savings are insufficient. She said: "My husband is 73 and is still working. He is self-employed and has to work as we couldn't manage otherwise."

The Age Concern survey found that older people were being denied vital treatment in hospitals because of their age.

However Elsie Steel (88) from Bury said she was not aware of a problem. She said: "I've not heard of anything like that. In fact I've got no complaints at all. I think the hospitals do their best regardless of how old you are."

Her friend Nellie Stott (81), also from Bury, said: "I don't know of anyone being refused treatment because they were considered too old. I was in hospital recently with a broken hip and I thought they were very good to me."

She also believes that people's attitudes have a lot to do with the situation. She said: "If you're OK with them, then they're OK with you."

Jack Kenneford (73) from Tottington, who works with disabled people, is concerned that older people are disadvantaged because of poor access for the disabled. He said: "There seem to be better facilities for younger disabled people. People who have had strokes, which tend to be older people, are not really catered for. "

Fay Platt (66), from Walmersley, agreed with him. She said: "There's a lot of steep steps around which older people with bad knees can't get up."