THEY say love hurts – so it was appropriate then that Christine Bell and Richard Douglas met while learning first aid.

The couple were teenagers when they crossed paths on a St Andrews First Aid course held in Portobello, Edinburgh.

Six years later they were married at the local parish church on 14 September 1963 – and last week celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Retired Menstrie photographer Richard recalled, “I think I attracted her attention with a long splint. She was escaping from the group and I tapped her with the splint.” Christine was two years below Richard at Portobello High School but they never met until that course. After they married, the couple, who were then in their early twenties, lived in Fisherrow where Christine worked for an undertaker while Richard worked at Edinburgh University.

They eventually moved away from East Lothian to Bridge of Allan where Richard took on a technician post in the audio visual department at Stirling University and Christine was a bookkeeper at a garage in the village.

Later, they bought a shop in Tullibody’s Tron Court which was affectionately known by local children as the “mix-up shop”, due to its vast array of confectionary and Richard became a well-kent face plying his trade as a photographer.

Now retired, Richard is known for his fantastic carvings as a member of the Wee County Crafters.

The couple have a son, Martin (40), and are expecting their first grandchild.