Britain is slowly becoming a nation of old people - but Brighton and Hove, as ever, is bucking the trend.

Many of the more active elderly are leaving the city and going to other resorts such as Worthing and Eastbourne. No one knows why but it could be that house prices in the city are so high they are able to make a good profit on the deal.

Meanwhile, fewer people are retiring to the Sussex coast, preferring to spend their later years in their home towns where they have friends and family.

It's good news for Brighton and Hove, which now has a balanced population instead of having more pensioners than the national average.

But there's just one unfortunate consequence. Government grants are based partly on the number of elderly people and the city council is running short of cash as a result.

Yet it still has to look after those aged 85 or more whose numbers are not declining and who tend to be the ones most in need of care.