Gordon once lived a full and varied life. He mixed with royalty, ran a successful antiques business, was an accomplished horse rider and took part in amateur dramatics.

But now, with no family or friends, he can go for weeks without talking to anyone.

“And the loneliness is made worse by the fact that I had so much going on when I was younger,” said 89-year-old Gordon. “The isolation is absolutely terrible. I once went for a month without speaking to anyone and on Christmas Day I’m completely alone.

“I was with my partner for 54 years and after he died six years ago the loneliness got worse. We used to have lots of friends and we’d have an open house at Christmas. They were good times.

“Now, I’ve lived in my flat for four years and I think I’ve spoken to my neighbours about a dozen times. But at my age you just have to accept these things.”

However there is a bright spot in Gordon’s life – the conversations he has with his Rainbow Call Companion, Nacho, which started two years ago.

“They are tremendously helpful and very important to me,” said Gordon, who lives in Chichester, West Sussex. “I really enjoy them and always look forward to them. Even when he travels to Spain he calls me from there. He is so thoughtful and I couldn’t ask for anything better.

“Sometimes the calls go on for more than an hour. With my isolation it’s something special just to be able to talk to someone.”

For many years Gordon ran an antiques business in Cheshire where he once had supper with the Duke of Devonshire and Princess Margaret visited his shop.

At one point he looked after eight horses – one of which qualified for the Horse of the Year Show– took part in riding competitions and was an enthusiastic amateur actor. His group often staged a two week outdoors Shakespeare season at Gawsworth Hall, a Tudor Manor House in Macclesfield where Gordon took on a variety of roles.

Some years ago he appeared on BBC TV’s The Weakest Link, hosted by Anne Robinson. 

“I won the first three rounds but then lost on a question about Monopoly, which, believe it or not, I have never played,” said Gordon. “Still it was an interesting experience.”

Gordon has difficulty walking now but occasionally manages to get along to a local table tennis group organised by the University of the Third Age.

“I can’t play anymore so I just have a coffee with them once the session has finished,” he said. “It’s the company that’s so important.”

Nacho, who is Spanish and lectures on neuro- science at the Open University, said: “Gordon is very isolated so when I call him he is eager to tell me everything because he hasn’t spoken to anyone for quite a while.

“He talks about his life and I tell him about mine. We have formed a friendship and I have learned so much from him. I enjoy making the calls and I believe Gordon gets a lot of benefit from them.

“During the last five years of my mother’s life I rang her every day in Valencia and after she died I wanted to use that experience to help others. There is such an epidemic of loneliness among older people that I believe we should do all we can to help.”