HAMPSHIRE pensioners joined thousands of over 60s yesterday for a massive 'grey power' rally outside Parliament.

The band of over-60s were calling on MPs to sign up to a better deal for older people.

More than 20 members of Southampton Pensioners' Forum and the Southern and Eastleigh Parishes Older People's Forum, who's banner read "A force to be reckoned with," boarded a coach to London yesterday morning.

In a militant mood, they were heading to Westminster to wave banners outside the Houses of Parliament before heading in to lobby the south's MPs.

The aim was to hand over a copy of the newly drawn up Pensioners' Manifesto, completed this summer, which calls for better state pensions, free health checks and fairer council tax rates.

Don Harper, who organised the trip, said: "We're not taking too many people - just enough to make sure we have constituents to speak to all the MPs in our area.

"The idea of the Manifesto is that for the first time we're all singing from the same hymn sheet, and MPs can't play one group's claims off against another."

More than 10,000 pensioners from across the country were due to turn out for the huge protest and present the National Pensioners' Convention document, which was put together following consultation with millions of over-60s.

It marked another milestone in the rise of so-called grey power, as more and more pensioners become politically active about council tax rises and diminishing benefits.

Diane Andrewes, secretary for the Southern and Eastleigh Parishes Older People's Forum, added: "It's almost as though people who make the decisions think pensioners are going to go away - or stay at home and be quiet.

"But that's not going to happen, and we're fighting now for future generations to enable people who have served the country and worked all their lives to enjoy a good life now."