The Board of Deputies struck a blow for senior citizenry on Sunday when it removed the age limit on the presidency and officer posts.

Lest it ever be thought a gerontocracy, some years ago it imposed a bar on anyone standing for leadership roles after the age of 72.

Support for keeping the limit came from High Court judge Sir Michael Burton, who pointed out that judges retire at 70.

But by a single vote, deputies backed the motion to lift the cap from the ZF's Jonathan Hoffman, a spring chicken in his 50s.