Three out of four people believe workers should be able to choose when they retire.

More than 40 per cent said a mandatory retirement age encouraged age discrimination and should be abolished.

But they did not think the rule should apply to everyone. Almost half of people surveyed wanted politicians and judges to be forced to give up work by the age of 60.

Almost 50 per cent said firefighters and pilots should be made to retire before the age of 55 and a third said police officers should do the same.

More than three-quarters said chief executives should be forced to retire before they reached 65.

The survey was carried out by the Employers' Forum on Age (EFA), a network of firms which includes Marks & Spencer, British Airways, Sainsbury's and the Bank of England.

It revealed most workers looked forward to retirement, with three in four people hoping to retire by the time they reached 60. But more than half worried they would not be able to afford it.

The EFA expressed concern so many workers were keen to retire early.

Campaign director Sam Mercer said: "These results show the UK is at a crossroads. There seems to be mass confusion and unrealistic expectations of being able to work for 30 years and then retire for 30 years.

"This is clearly not sustainable and it is a situation that will only get worse. By 2025, for every two people employed, there is likely to be one retired or inactive person over 50. If we are to employ the talents of the UK workforce effectively, the current concept of retirement needs a radical overhaul."

Although the UK has no national mandatory retirement age, many professions set their own limits. While firefighters must retire at 55, judges work until they reach 70. This can be extended to 75 by the Lord Chancellor.

Many famous people continue to work, despite being eligible for a pension. Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson is 68, while Dixons chairman Sir Stanley Kalms will be 70 next month.