70 and sttiillll workiing --tthe pensiio oners who saii iid no tto rettiirem mentt; Talk by politicians of raising the retirement e people, but Alison age may anger some Young spoke to thre e SouthWales pensioners who wan nt to carry on working for as long as possib ble.

MOST of us dream of reaching retirement age and finally being able to take it easy and put our feet up, but others just want to carry on and on.

One of those is Chris Harris, who ran one of Cardiff's best known cycle shops in Bridge Street for decades until it had to shut three years ago to make way for the new St David's 2 development.

Chris then handedS over the reins to his son Damian, who opened a new shop in the heart of Whitchurch village. But 70-year-old Chris found that retirement was not for him and before long he was back in the 1shop at the crack of dawn every day.

"I was bored out of my mind at home - I had to go back to work," admitted Chris, who started out as a 15-year-old working in a bike shop in Canton for pounds 1.25 a week.

It was that strong work ethic that led him to set up his own business, which he started from a garden shed in Mill Lane selling second-hand bikes, before later moving to shop premises in Bridge Street.

"My son Damian was already working for me so when we moved to Whitchurch I gave him despite retir-I just couldn't one for sitting all day so I'm every day, aly all day.

the business but, ing, I found that stay away. I'm not o around at home a back here now e though I don't stay "I get in for 6.30 sure all the stock i sparkling clean re out on display by t they arrive. I'm us up early from my market.

am and make is washed and ady to be put the staff when sed to getting y days on the e is glad to get easwell soI'm t all day.

"I think my wife meoutofthehouse not under her feet "I come to wor need something t keepsmeactiveme as physically.

rk because I to do and it entally aswell "The business dramatically over nowwedoalotof t internet, selling t over the world. has changed the years and trade fromthe to people all "It's fascinating people who ring up ica or Australia an can get a certain b "That is the thin ing and being in bu are changing all t you have to keep going. You have t your brain and com new ideas. g to talk to p from Amernd ask us if we bike for them. ng with workusiness, things the time and p up to keep to keep using ming up with "At the end of the healthy and capab and you enjoy it, th eday, if you're ble of working hen I don't see why you shouldn't work for as long as you want.

"A lot of people moan and groan about working and then when they retire they find they haven't got a purpose to get up in the morning any more.

"Some people have hobbies to take up their time but the business used to take up so much of my time that I didn't have any," admitted Chris, although he does go cycling with his wife.

"I love the bike shop - I always have and I still do even though I'm only the errand boy these days.

"If I was 10 years younger I would start up by myself all over again."

Damian said: "My dad is incredible - the postman told me the other day that he saw him in here at 5.30am. He washes the bikes, the floors and the windows and even does a couple of repairs for me.

"In fact my dad has done a day's work before I even arrive - he's a legend.

"Lots of people think that they would love to retire early but very often after six months they are lost as they often don't have a purpose in life anymore.

"I think people should carry on working for as long as they want to - it's much better than being slumped in a chair all day."