USUALLY found behind the camera, Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser photographer Jan van der Merwe was caught in front of it this week as he celebrated his Golden Wedding anniversary.

He married Margaret Paterson on 20 June 1964 at St Serf’s Parish Church (now known as Tillicoultry Parish Church) in Tillicoultry.

What began as a whirlwind romance – they met in January 1964, were engaged by April and married in June – blossomed into 50 happy years of marriage with four children and three grandchildren.

The couple, who live in Dollar, met while working as teachers at Forebraes Junior Secondary School in Sauchie.

Margaret, originally from Tillicoultry, taught Domestic Science while Jan, from Johannesburg, South Africa, was a Geography teacher.

After they married the couple moved to South Africa where they remained for 11 years.

When they returned to Scotland the family moved back to Clackmannanshire to Tillicoultry and then Dollar.

Margaret began working in advertising at the Alloa Advertiser and Jan taught Geography at Grangemouth High School. A few years later he started his own photography business and his long -association with the local paper.

He opened photography shops in Tillicoultry and Alloa, which Margaret managed, and then a tearoom in Alloa called Eats and Treats.

Margaret ran the tearoom until the early 1990s when she gave it up to look after her grandchildren, however, she continued to volunteer with the WRVS. When Jan isn’t taking photos for the Advertiser, the pair are regular jet-setters and enjoy travelling the globe.

Asked what is the secret to a long happy marriage, Margaret said, “Take each day as it comes. Whatever happened the day before plough on regardless.”