THE Prime Minister's father-in-law is planning to take a trip to Teesside to talk to a newly formed pensioners group.

The first meeting of the National Pensioners Convention branch covering the Redcar, Saltburn, Marske and East Cleveland areas was held this month.

Organiser Mike Findlay hailed the meeting a success and thinks the group will go from strength to strength.

Last week he joined a rally in London to hand in a petition to Buckingham Palace calling for a better deal for pensioners in light of Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-budget statement.

He said he talked to the actor Tony Booth, father of Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie. Mr Booth expressed an interest in the new group and said he would be happy to come and talk to members, hopefully in March