ALLOA'S veteran bail officer is set to retire after 15 years with Clackmannanshire Council's Criminal Justice Service.

Tom Rennie, well-known at his base at Alloa Sheriff Court, has had a lengthy career in the civil service, starting out as a clerical officer with the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works in 1964.

"I will miss it, without a doubt", the 73-year-old told the Advertiser ahead of his well-earned retirement on Thursday, April 1.

He had already spent 42 years in the civil service before being offered the post of bail officer with the council in 2006 following an early retirement.

Tom said: "It's been really invigorating, it's been a tremendous job."

Following his first eight years in the civil service, Tom was promoted to executive officer in the Department of Health and Social Security where he worked as an investigator in Edinburgh, Stranraer, Falkirk and Glasgow.

He later took up a post at the former DSS Resettlement Unit, housing 77 homeless men next to Low Moss Prison in 1982 and took over as manger four years later.

Unarguably, this was his most challenging but enjoyable jobs before he came to Alloa some three decades later.

Tom explained he never had a boring minute in this post with multiple issues thrown his way every day.

Another four years went past and Tom transferred to Glasgow where he managed a team of investigators before taking over a newly formed group, measuring the volume of benefit losses to fraud and error in Scotland.

This job saw him travel to all 32 councils every year, building up good working relationships with all.

Twice, Tom also worked on the national census and was also a polling officer in Dalkeith, Stranraer and Cowie.

It will be a belated retirement for Tom, following a total of 57 years working in the civil service.

Tom wanted to thank all staff, colleagues and managers he worked with over the years, latterly in Alloa.

He said: "I appreciate all the support I have had from court and team colleagues without which I could not have done my job for 15 years.

"My wife has also been my staunch supporter to allow me to carry on working for so long."

In retirement, Tom is looking forward to spending more time with his youngest grandchildren Zac and Zara.

He is also looking to make good use of his motorhome, which has lain empty for most of the last year.