Thousands of women who have been forced to wait an extra six years to get their pensions took to the country's streets in protest on Wednesday.

And of the thousands, a group congregated outside of Blackburn Town Hall to have their say against the changes, which have altered the way thousands of women in their 50s and 60s live their lives - forcing some of them to sell their homes and use food banks to get by.

Pamela Satchwell, a moderator for the pressure group Back to 60, said all of the women protesting outside of the Town Hall were there to have their voices heard.

She said: "We've all been hit by this in one way or another. Some of us can't pay the bills or keep up with payments, some of us have no family to turn to. For me personally, I have nobody I can rely on.

"I lost my husband six months before I was due to get my state pension in 2013."

Women in their 50s and 60s have been hit by the government’s decision to increase the state pension age from 60 to 66. with many left in despair at the changes.

They argue they have not been offered any support or information from the government, leaving some of them in situations where they've had to sell everything they own just to get by.

Mrs Satchwell said: "I lost my home as I couldn't keep up with the mortgage repayments and I've ended up, instead of in a big house, with just four rooms.

"Some of the stories you hear about women who's lives have been left destroyed by the changes would make you cry."

The Back to 60 movement, which has 723,500 supporters across the country, aims to bring women together so they can demand the return of their earned dues and to bring a stop to the heartbreak experienced by many across the country.

Another national pressure group, Women Against State Pension Inequality, were also highly active during Wednesday's protests, where roads outside of the Parliament buildings were blocked off by demonstrators.

Locally, Hyndburn Council leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said he would be submitting a motion to the next full council meeting proposing to write to the Government on the matter.

He said: “I am calling on my colleagues to support the WASPI campaign.

“There is no good reason for inequality in state pensions and women being forced to wait up to an extra six years to get their pension will have ruined many people’s retirement plans.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Tony Dobson said there would be cross-party support for the motion.

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