And Freebridge Community Housing, which runs the village's Neville Court scheme, has halted Friday whist sessions in the community room until further notice.

Eighty-six-year-old Bill Corbett, of Folgate Road, Heacham, said Freebridge was insisting that to continue the two-hour sessions in a room that they have rented for years, the card-players must take out insurance.

And fellow pensioner Tom Coulstock, of Sea Field Gardens, Hunstanton, said they had been quoted £250 a year to meet the £2 million liability insurance cover Freebridge required.

Mr Corbett said: "Perhaps they think that the pensioners, aged 70 to 90, may attack one another with the playing cards?

"The situation is so stupid it's laughable."

He said the card players put up tables, chairs and stools for their sessions and clear them away afterwards.

"I have to speak up for my fellow pensioners, some of whom live on the premises and still have to pay to play cards in their own recreation room," he said.

'POSITIVE'

Chief executive Tony Hall said Freebridge actively promoted the use of community rooms in its sheltered schemes as interaction between its elderly residents and people in the area "is a positive contribution to their lives".

He said: "It is general practice that any room hire includes a requirement for insurance.

"This can be covered by the group or 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.

"The requirement has been in place for many years, but as Freebridge has recently updated the hire agreement it is checking that groups have their own insurance in place."

Housing manager Jan Mitchell said Freebridge's insurance only covered its residents at Neville Court and if outsiders, like most of the whist players there, used its premises they had to go along with the fire, health and safety and environmental standards required.

She said talks would be held with the whist session organiser about future use of the community room and she was happy to give Mr Corbett and Mr Coulstock a detailed explanation of the new contract if they contacted her.

"I have done a document for all the clubs because we have to respect that this is people's home, not a village hall up for hire by the general public," she added.