A NURSE who was shocked to find out her pension was just 7p per week is calling for better pension awareness for women.

Margaret Watts, 59, of Wyke Road, Weymouth, is using her own experience to back a campaign, led by Liberal Democrat MP Steve Webb, to help women left out of pocket due to low pensions.

The mother of two opted for a married woman's stamp pension in 1965 on returning to work after giving birth, which meant that she paid a reduced National Insurance contribution.

At that time, part-time workers were not allowed to join company pension schemes.

She fully expected to be able to receive her own pension at 60 and was unaware that to qualify for a pension, she should have paid full contributions for 39 years.

Mrs Watts, who worked for 33 years, said: "In 1992 I applied for a pension forecast and to my horror was informed that I was entitled to a pension of 7p per week, recently increased to 9p."

"I learned that I would have to wait until my husband reached 65 before I was entitled to a pension and the amount I received would be 60 per cent of his entitlement."

She became involved with the campaign after hearing Steve Webb talking about the women's pensions on the Radio 2 Jimmy Young show. She wrote to the MP who advised her to appeal.

Although the appeal failed, she did find out that the contributions paid between leaving school and having a child counted towards a small pension in her own right at 60 but this needed to be over a 10-year period and Mrs Watts had only worked seven years.

By buying back the three years needed, at a present day National Insurance level, which cost £1,000, she has secured a small pension - £19 - for herself, but only after several years of battling.

Mrs Watts said: "There are thousands of women in the same position as I who paid, and some still pay, reduced contributions oblivious of the fact that when they reach 60 they will not receive a pension in their own right."

She believes as many as 400,000 women are getting no or very little pension.

Steve Webb invited her to the campaign launch at Westminster attended by Lib Dem leader, Charles Kennedy, and agony aunt, Claire Raynor.

Afterwards she was interviewed for Radio 4's Moneybox and by the Guardian.

As part of the campaign, Mrs Watts hopes to produce a newsletter and website and would like to hear from women with similar stories.

Those who have been affected by reduced contributions or a low pension should contact the Echo newsdesk on (01305) 830999