MICK WARD, of Leeds social services, claims a local 62-year old woman, recently retired, will live to 120.

Reaching your nineties is common today, as will be the 100s and 110s in the future.

Mick tells us she will have an entire lifetime to live again, but spoils it by saying she will be just “pottering around”.

To make the most of these extra decades now granted to us, we older ones must remain active in brain and body, as much as we are able.

Those who wish should carry on working, perhaps parttime or in a less demanding job. Or we could volunteer, pursue a hobby or do those things we’ve always wanted to do.

We all need an incentive to get us out of bed in the morning. “Putting your feet up” with nothing to replace the challenge of work is a recipe for an early death – I’ve seen it happen.

At 73 I’m still working, doing new things and still campaigning.

We’ve got these extra years of active life, let’s make the most of them.

Chris Foote-Wood, Prospective Parliamentary LibDem candidate for Richmond, Darlington.