SCORES of pensioners have taken to the streets to demand a better deal for older people.

Members of the Wessex Pensioners Convention - some waving placards - marched from Southampton's historic Bargate to the Civic Centre yesterday to demand higher pensions and better health care, as well as the scrapping of council tax.

Pensioners from Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were joined by older people from Wiltshire and Dorset at the rally, which was addressed by Romsey MP and Liberal Democrat spokesman for older people, Sandra Gidley.

The march then made its way to the Civic Centre, where pensioners held a question and answer session with Southamp-ton's Labour MPs, John Denham and Alan Whitehead, New Forest West Conservative MP Desmond Swayne and Hampshire Green MEP Caroline Lucas.

The pensioners' demands include:

The basic state pension should be increased to a level of one third of average earnings over the next five years.

The pensioners' demands include:

The annual Christmas bonus should be equal to one week's full state pension.

The pensioners' demands include:

All those of pensionable age should receive a free annual comprehensive health check as part of a preventative health programme.

The pensioners' demands include:

Good quality and affordable home care services and home adaptions should be provided to ensure older people remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible.

The pensioners' demands include:

Council tax should be abolished.

The pensioners' demands include:

A nationwide travel scheme should be introduced, giving pensioners, disabled people and their escorts where necessary free travel on all buses, coaches, ferries, trams, tubes and trains.

Southampton Pensioners' Forum secretary Don Harper said that all political parties did not treat pensioners fairly.

He added: "The very first thing we would like to see is a pension that is not means tested.

"With long-term care, I would like to see it free because it is a very great worry to pensioners who are not on benefits and have to pay for it."