A CLACKS couple celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary today, having built a marriage on a healthy respect for each other.

David and Flora Bryce mark their 60th anniversary after tying the know on April 1, 1961.

David was born in Greenfield Street, Alloa, in April 1939 and Flora was born in March Glen in December 1942.

The couple met in February 1959 when David was driving an ice cream van for Nicol's Dairy around Gartmorn Road in Sauchie.

Flora was visiting her sister at the time and didn't particularly like ice cream, but she would go to the van just to see David.

Their next date was at the shows in Alloa at the West End Park and the romance blossomed from there.

David and Flora moved around while David was in the army, first to Taunton and then to Germany before returning to Clackmannanshire, where they settled and started a family.

The couple had five children: Lorna, Mhairi, Donna, David and Leigh, and now have nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Daughter Lorna said: "They're workaholics. We used to own the petrol station in Clackmannan so we worked there for years, we moved there from Coalsnaughton.

"It was run down so they built it all up and the whole family worked there and helped them out."

David also worked delivering The Independent newspaper for years, picking papers up from Preston and distributing them all over Scotland on a Saturday.

The couple have treated themselves to a couple of cruises over the years, though their favourite activity is spending time with their family.

They bought a house at Alloa harbour and lived there for two years; however, they're on the move now as Flora misses having a garden to walk around in.

"They like to be around the family," Lorna continued. "They're family orientated, they like to have the family all around them."

Grandson Fraser Duncan is the manager of Sauchie Juniors and David followed his career all over, regularly travelling to Ipswich when Fraser played for Ipswich Town, staying overnight and driving home the next day.

Lorna said: "That was the kind of thing he did, a dedication to anything that's happening for the family. He's just committed to helping out the family."

It's clear that David really is a workaholic, as he's still helping out where he can to this day. He's a regular at Sauchie Juniors' Beechwood Park, helping out with plumbing jobs or anything he can.

Furthermore, Flora's there helping too at the club whenever there's a function or anything she can help with, she will.

With nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, David and Flora like to go out a drive and stop by the windows of the family to give everyone a wave and keep in touch.

Flora has an iPad now so they can keep in touch with all the family and they enjoy listening to music too, with Lorna's husband Tom playing the accordion and they like to attend anywhere he plays.

Lorna says: "They say the secret to a happy marriage is hard work and respect for each other.

"There's life in the old dogs yet."