Life might begin at 40, but does it have to end at 50? JO HAYWOOD finds out.

CHERIE Blair is probably whipping up a batch of black icing at this very moment, while Euan, Nicky, Kathryn and Leo draw sad faces on the commiseration cards they are preparing for their father.

Tony Blair is fast approaching 50 - and he's not happy about it. In an interview with Saga magazine he spoke about the upcoming milestone on May 6 with undisguised gloom.

"I don't feel 50," he said. "I've been dreading it."

Perhaps his negative attitude to ageing has something to do with his mother's death from cancer at 52 or the fact that his father suffered his first stroke when he was just 39. But whatever his reasons, there is no way the prime minister can avoid joining 43 per cent of the electorate in the 50-plus category in less than a month's time.

And why should he want to? According to Jackie Bower, of North Duffield, near Selby, he should be celebrating his achievements and not ruminating gloomily on the passage of time.

She is planning to throw a party to end all parties to celebrate her own 50th birthday in October - and with very good reason.

"I had cancer when I was 31 and didn't expect to make it to my 40th birthday, never mind my 50th," she said. "After I recovered I pledged I would mark every milestone with a big party. I did it on my 40th and I'm going to go even wilder in October."

Jackie has no problem with reaching her half century, but she believes that others - most notably employers - don't share her enthusiasm. She was made redundant by Smith & Nephew at the end of last year and is struggling to find another job.

"I haven't got a degree, and I know that goes against me, but I have got the best part of 30 years' work experience," she said. "I don't know what potential employers see when they see my date of birth, probably some old lady with a bun in her hair and comfy shoes, but that is not who I am.

"I am only 50, for goodness sake. I'm looking for a second career to last me at least another 15 years, but it is difficult to even get an interview, never mind a job."

Jackie keeps herself busy by running her own cat rescue shelter, doing everything from feeding and grooming to fund-raising and PR, but she regards this as her passion, not her career.

"What has Tony Blair got to groan about?" she asked. "At least he's got a job."

Maybe Jackie should take heart from Jean Frost's experiences. This 70-something volunteer at the University of the Third Age in Clifford Street, York, which organises courses and activities for the over-50s, thought her life was heading for the slow lane when she turned 50. But she was wrong.

She applied for a teaching position with little optimism and was thrilled when she was eventually told she had beaten off competition from younger applicants to secure the post.

"I thought nobody was going to give me a job at 50, but they did," she said. "I was very happy when they told me I had got it. Surprised, but happy."

The University of the Third Age has more than 1,000 members in York on more than 90 courses, from philosophy, modern languages and classics to film history, music and bridge. But learning a new skill is just the tip of the iceberg.

"I can't stand staying in the house with nothing to do, and I think a lot of older people feel the same," said Jean. "Our members get out and meet people. They get friendship as well as knowledge - both vital when it comes to keeping you young."

Her son is approaching 40 with dread at the moment, so she has some sympathy with what Tony Blair is going through. But she also thinks he should get his priorities right.

"He really should have more important things on his mind at the moment," she said. "Turning 50 is the least of his problems. Unless he is thinking of retiring, he should concentrate on the job in hand."

A quick flick through just one edition of the Evening Press elicited other positive stories of 50-something folk in all walks of life, doing all manner of things, from writing hit albums to winning billiards cups...

In the birthdays, actors Max von Sydow and Omar Sharif, TV presenter Gloria Hunniford, author Paul Theroux, cinema hard man Steven Seagal, and UK athletics boss David Moorcroft all celebrated 50-plus birthdays.

In the personal ads, the top advertisers - the lucky love-seekers who received more responses than anyone else - were a 51-year-old woman looking for a strong, dependable man, and a 52-year-old "sunny and solvent businessman" searching for an occasional smoker for friendship and nights out.

A scan of the gossip column brought stories of 56-year-old singer Cher's 150-plus venue concert tour ("this would kill girls half my age") and 57-year-old Steven Spielberg's leap from sixth place to top spot in Premiere magazine's Power List for 2003.

On the back page, it was reported that George Tingle of Acomb had knocked the stuffing out of younger competitors in York Conservative Clubs' Hylton-Foster Billiards Cup to become the oldest winner at 72.

And in an interview on the CD review page, 52-year-old Joan Armatrading talked effusively about her new album and her passion for life, saying: "I feel very blessed that I have an optimistic outlook. I've been told that it's a fault, but if it is, it's a great fault to have."

Updated: 11:24 Tuesday, April 15, 2003