Cliff Hodgson, who has served Broughton Moor pensioners for the past 35 years has decided it is time for him to retire.

Mr Hodgson, 75, became involved in the senior citizens group when he was in his early 40s.

He said: "The secretary, Joe Mossom, was not very well and was looking for helpers. My mother-in-law told him I would be interested!"

He joined as a helper and became secretary 30 years ago.

He discovered that that meant organising everything.

Cliff added: "There is a really strong committee now which has taken a lot of the burden off me."

Through most of his time, though, he has been bingo organiser and caller, he has organised raffles, the annual trip to Blackpool, Christmas boxes and dinners and anything else that needed done.

Pensioners in Broughton Moor are well cared for.

There are bingo evenings every Monday night. On alternate Wednesdays there are coffee mornings organised by Dot Damon, who is also the new bingo caller.

There is an annual trip to Blackpool where each person is given £7 towards the cost of a meal and at Christmas they are all treated to a meal at the Broughton Craggs Hotel.

"We used to give the pensioners Christmas boxes worth about £5 each. Since the wind farm was established and we get a grant from West Coast Energy's Flimby wind farm. Now we give each pensioner £10."

Mr Hodgson, a retired plant operator, said Mandy McComb has taken over as secretary. 

He said: "I am leaving the group in safe hands."

He said he was now going to "fade into the sunset" and devote more time to rugby league, his garden and his family  - Beryl, who he married 54 years ago, his two sons, four granddaughters, three great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter.