A group of pensioners have been banned from playing cards in a sheltered housing complex unless they fork out for insurance cover worth £2million.

The 14 whist players - aged between 70 and 90 - have been meeting in a communal room at Neville Court in Heacham, Norfolk, every Friday for eight years. But bosses at the complex have told them they can't play again unless they buy liability insurance cover for all those who don't live there.

Player Bill Corbett, who lives nearby, said: "Perhaps they think that pensioners will attack one another with the playing cards. The situation is so stupid it's laughable."  Mr Corbett, 86, said the game took up five tables in a corner of the room and insisted there had never been any trouble in the club's history.

Tom Coulstock, from Hunstanton, said the cheapest insurance the group could find was £250 a year, which would have to be paid in addition to the £1.50 a head entrance fee - which they can't afford.  Mr Coulstock said: "We won't be using the room in the future. We'll find somewhere that already has the insurance in place."

Freebridge Community Housing (FCH), which runs Neville Court, said the insurance was "common practice".  FCH Chief Executive Tony Hall said: "It is general practice that any room hire includes a requirement for insurance. This can be covered by the group, club insurance or could form part of the hire cost. Freebridge charges a nominal hire charge but then require individuals to organise their own insurance."

Does it cover a heart attack brought on by going all in with a pair of eights?

 That was never Mr Bun the Baker!

The original was here.