LAST week the Roberts of Skerton (CItizen: 9 September) asked the question 'why to OAPs buy lottery tickets?' Can I make a reply to this question ?

First of all, thank goodness I am not related to Mr and Mrs Roberts, I am a pensioner and for years have been living on my savings and I can tell them what I and many of my fellow pensioners would do with a million pounds.

Even OAPs - or senior citizens as we prefer to be called - are allowed to have dreams you know. We could see that our children and grandchildren are cared for so that they will never have to struggle as we did to stay out of debt. We could make the necessary arrangements for our care when we cannot care ourselves instead of putting the burden on the family and tax-payers. We could have the enjoyment of giving to our favourite charities and research establishments that will be beneficial to all fellow human beings.

None of us crave for a lot of money but like Mr and Mrs Roberts of Skerton we have our own pet theories as to what to do with money.

We are happy with what we've got but if the Roberts of Skerton are working people they have to have the pleasure of managing (without going into debt) on a pension.

I know I would not like to be young again.

Although many of us went through the war there was no fear of going out in the blackout, no fear of being mugged, no fear of drugs as there are today.

I've had my ups and downs but I think I've lived in the best part of this century.

I hope this answers some of the questions asked.

Senior citizens carry on buying your lottery tickets if you want to and enjoy your dreams.

Ruth Roberts

Kingsway

Heysham

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