IN reply to Nick Holt (Letters, February 8) who attacked pensioners for living off the backs of tax payers, my mother and father worked right up to retirement age and paid tax and National Insurance.

In fact, my mother went back to work cleaning after she retired and worked until she was nearly 70, plus she served in the ATS during the war.

My father was in the Army during the war and spent the war abroad fighting for his country.

When I was young mum had to pay someone to look after me and my sister so she could go to work to keep us. They didn't get much family allowance.

My father worked all his working life. Then, when they did retire, they had to pay full rent and full poll tax because they had a pension.

My mother died suddenly when she was 72, so she got back nothing like what she'd paid over the years in insurance stamps. Most pensioners have worked hard all their lives and most of the men went to war to fight for their country.

I'd like to know what Mr Holt's parents and grandparents think of his ridiculous views.

By the way, I've always worked and learned from my mum and dad that if you want something you must work for it - that's what they did and what most pensioners did.

So don't begrudge them what little they do get. They have earned it.

M McDONALD (Mrs), Mosley Street, Blackburn.

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