The recent News Shopper story, BEXLEYHEATH: Council parts couple married for 66 years, has brought home to us all the reality that getting old is not something to look forward to. In an age where we are told to look after ourselves in order to live as long as we possibly can, is it really worth it?

Gordon Kennedy, 96, and his wife Marie, aged 86, have been married for 66 years. They've stayed the course of an extremely long and happy union and shared their lives through thick and thin.

Now, after all those years of struggling to bring up a family and pay hard-earned tax into the government's coffers, they are not in the best of health. So how does Bexley Council reward them for all their hard work? By separating them, that's how.

Firstly, Bexley Council and whoever made the final decision to carry out this act of cruelty, should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Secondly, they should immediately reverse their appalling decision and ensure that Mr and Mrs Kennedy are reunited for the rest of their lives, no matter what the cost or inconvenience.

We are told on a daily basis that we must not drink, smoke and eat the wrong foods in order that we live long and happy lives. But what is the point of living a long life if, in the winter of our years on this planet, we are thrown out with the garbage?

The British public is still coming to terms with the fact that most of us will now have to work until we are 70-years-old. Because we are living longer due to the fact that we have followed the advice of the government health department, we are now deemed fit enough to squeeze just that little bit more productivity out of our ageing, failing bodies.

It seems to me that all this healthy living is counter productive. I mean, when we were all smoking and drinking ourselves to death - quite happily, I might add - at least we comforted ourselves with the thought that the ladies among us would retire at 60 and the men at 65. That has now all changed.

The great con of healthy living has turned around and bitten us where it hurts most - by taking away precious retirement years.

To top it all, our new Tory government - forget all about coalition because that's a farce - tells us that those who are married will be rewarded by being given tax relief. After 66 years of marriage, I fail to see any reward for the Kennedy's superb union.

How do we know that in another 30 years, the then government will not announce that the retirement age is to be raised to 80?

It seems to me that we might as well just blinkin' enjoy ourselves today and forget all about tomorrow. Drink, smoke and eat what you like, while you can, because it's better to die relatively young than to grow old and become a 'burden' on society.

The only other instance I can think of where married couples were separated like this was in the Nazi concentration camp system. Are we all to assume that, when we grow too old to contribute to society, we will be split from our spouses and all die of broken hearts?

Bexley Council, sort this out! You have disgusted News Shopper readers and just about everybody else who has heard about this story. The way you have behaved is absolutely disgraceful and completely unforgiveable.

Do something about it NOW and give the Kennedy's the good news that they will stay together 'til death do they part.

While you're at it, you can apologise not only to this lovely old couple, but to the rest of us as well!