THE latest EU Referendum rows about plunging pensions appear not to have ruffled the residents of Highcliffe.

The Daily Echo took to the High Street on Saturday to speak to retirees, who are the latest targets in the sights of the 'remain' and 'leave' campaigns.

George Osborne led the charge on this latest battleground when he warned last week (Thursday May 26) that current and future pensioners will be worse off if the UK leaves the European Union.

An analysis by the Treasury found that Brexit would cause inflation to rise, eroding the value of the station pension increases – costing recipients £137 a year.

But the vote leave campaign came back hard, arguing that a Brussels directive which requires insurers to increase their cash reserves to protect against insolvency would drive down annuities and hit private pensions and, warned Iain Duncan Smith, could end up costing British pensioners £400billion.

The back and forth has left some pensioners worried, some cynical and others fed up.

Bob Pollock, 77, scoffed at the latest argument: "Cameron is full of rubbish," he said. "I don't think it will impact pensions. I think we're better off out. There are too many rules and regulations telling you what to do and what not to do."

"I find that both sides are scaremongering," said 69-year-old Lindsay Walker. "I voted on the common market when Ted Heath was Prime Minister – I voted to go in – but I still don't know which way to go."

He said of the latest arguments: "A lot of it is trying to frighten people and both sides just trying to beat one another. It gets to the stage when you don't know who to believe."

His wife Judith, 68, added: "I can't see how it will impact pensions – if you have a state pension its from the state and it goes up yearly. If you have a pension pot it's there, fixed – I can't see how that will alter."

Sandra Gemmell, 72, who moved back to the UK four months ago after 14 years in Spain, said she was more concerned with how expat pensioners might be affected.

"If we leave it will make life hard for a lot of pensioners who have worked hard all their lives and gone out there to live the dream, and I don't think that's right."

Kathleen Musslewhite, 85, told the Echo: "I think we need to stay in – it's not going to do us any good to come out of it. I don't think pensioners can afford to lose that much money."

Friend Jean Allen, 88, added: "I think we're too old to be worried about it. We just plod along – they are going to do what they are going to do and we will just carry on."

Peter Tanswell, 87, from Highcliffe, said of the potential impact on his pension: "I think I'm past caring to be honest with you!"