Pensioners in Europe’s top economy Germany are increasingly being forced to take a part-time job to make ends meet.

With more inhabitants over the age of 65 than any of its European partners, Germany’s senior citizens are having to resort to jobs such as babysitting or caretakers to top up their pensions.

Notices such as “Still spritely pensioner, in good physical and intellectual shape, seeks work paying at least €400.

“Good knowledge of computers” is common on specialist sites posting job adverts.

Such sites tend to have a column dedicated to pensioners listing so-called “mini-jobs” targeting those within the country’s 20-million-strong retired population in need of boosting their incomes.

“Two or three times a week I deliver newspapers,” said 69-year-old Norbert Mack, who lives in Sindlingen, a western suburb in the city of Frankfurt.

“Mostly they are free papers with advertising which arrive around midday, so you then need two or three hours to deliver a pile of 200 to 300 copies.”

“I do my round in the area with a shopping trolley. After that, I’m tired and I need to nap for one or two hours at home,” said Mack, who used to be employed in industrial machine construction.

The job earns him about €180 every month which supplements his €1,500 pension which he and his ill wife live on.

“Our only little pleasures are an old car, a small allotment where we spend the holidays and, of course, my dog,” said Mack, whose hobby is training German shepherd dogs.