ARTHUR MAUGHAN has lived in the village of Lanchester since he married nearly 50 years ago.

When he retired as a computer services manager with Northumbrian Water, he decided to not only stay, but to put something back into the community.

He took on a number of voluntary jobs, including work as a magistrate and, later, a senior position overseeing magistrates in north Durham, until three years ago.

In the early 1990s, Mr Maughan and fellow residents of the County Durham village raised £300,000 to develop the derelict community centre and have worked tirelessly to provide facilities.

Now the centre is open throughout the week and operates as a gym, Internet cafe, meeting place, events venue and more.

Mr Maughan, 69, who is chairman of Lanchester Community Association, said: "My wife, Mavis, and I decided to spend our retirement in Lanchester because it is a nice place to live, with a wonderful sense of community.

"When I was working, it was perfect for commuting to Newcastle and Durham, but now we can enjoy the quieter life in the countryside.

"I wanted to give a lot back to the community because it had given a lot to me over the years. I was keen to help make life better and to offer more facilities for the community on its doorstep."

Mr Maughan is part of a small army of volunteers using the skills they have learned over a lifetime to make Lanchester a better place to live.

His efforts have been highlighted by experts at Newcastle University, who will focus on the increasing number of older people living in the English countryside when they meet for a national seminar in York today.

Professor Philip Lowe, of Newcastle University, who will co-present an overview of the "greying countryside" at the seminar, said: "It is ageist and misleading to say that the older population presents a threat and a burden to our society.

"Most people continue to live active lives and contribute in many ways to their community before and after retirement.

"However, there are key challenges posed by the ageing rural population, which, if addressed, should enrich life in the countryside for everybody, not just for older people."

Figures show that 5.3 million of England's projected 5.5 million population growth up to 2028 will be because of the rise in people over 60, who will mainly be living in rural areas.

Numbers of people living in the countryside aged 85 and over are predicted to treble in this period.

Some rural districts could have three in five of their residents aged over 50 by 2028.

The ageing population is largely a result of younger people moving out of the countryside for education or work and affordable housing, and older people moving into rural areas at or before they retire.

The university experts say the changing countryside demographics provoke several issues that should urgently be addressed by decision-makers, such as rural housing, which is said to be inadequate to serve the ageing population.

Rural areas are also urged to do more to attract young people, and migrant workers could also be encouraged to settle in the countryside to address difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff.