"I STAND before you a very, very angry lady!" veteran agony aunt Claire Rayner declared at a pensioners' rally.

The indomitable 70-year-old was guest of honour at the Cleveland Pensioners' Forum's first anniversary rally at Redcar Bowl last Thursday.

The forum, a branch of the National Pensioners' Forum, is part of the campaign for older people's government, and is demanding free, long-term health care for all pensioners, the re-introduction of pension links to the rise in earnings and an end to means testing for pensions.

Despite bad weather, 100 people heard speakers urge pensioners to fight for a better deal.

Speakers included Alan Wright from BBC Radio Cleveland, the mayor of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Coun Vilma Collins, president of the TUC Tony Young and Joe Harris, secretary of the National Pensioners' Convention.

Ms Rayner said she was angered by the way the National Health Service was crumbling.

"In 1948, when the legislation came in, I was a cadet nurse and we were all so excited when we heard about this new act. No-one would have to worry about it any more.

"Nurses wouldn't have to go out on the streets banging tins for money. Winston Churchill said it would be from the cradle to the grave and everyone stopped worrying. We thought it was absolutely marvellous.

"It is grossly unjust what has happened to the NHS - it is outrageous."

She added: "We are a sleeping giant and it is high time we woke up.

"We have to fight it for our children and our grandchildren."