A BRETFORTON pensioner is up in arms after being refused commercial insurance to drive a taxi because of his age.

Dennis Hodson, aged 74 of Clayfield Road in the village, applied for a job at a Vale taxi firm shelling out £28 for police clearance. The taxi firm had to pay out a further £60 to pay a fee for the license.

"I was offered the job but because they couldn't get insurance for me due to my age, I ended up not getting it," he said.

"I have debts from a previous marriage and I need to pay them. I wanted to work on the taxis and pay them off but I'm not allowed because of this insurance problem. I am on benefits but want to earn my money instead to pay off these debts. I want to work, I can't see what the problem is."

He added: "They need to modernise, people in their eighties are working and the Government wants us to work even longer so are any changes going to be made? I think I can get insurance but it would be at a massive premium."

Kelly Ostler, spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers ABI said: "People are living longer and working for longer and older people are certainly more energetic nowadays than they used to be.

"Insurance companies work on risk but not all are the same, one company may say no to someone of that age but another would not refuse so it's worth contacting more than one.

"It's just like travel insurance, one policy would work for the majority of people but for a small few it wouldn't be any good. If anyone has any doubts then it's worth contacting a broker who specialises in certain cases or go to the British Insurance Brokers Association on 0870 950 1790."

Research published by the ABI in May, shows that a growing number of older drivers can continue driving safely well into old age.

The ABI says the number of older drivers is set to grow massively. The research shows by 2050 40 per cent of licence holders will be aged 60 or over with a quarter aged over 70.

Stephen Haddrill, the ABI's director general said: "The increasing numbers of older drivers will be one of the big motoring issues this century. The insurance industry is already responding positively. Today the average upper age limit for new older customers is 82, compared to 74 10 years ago."