A dilapidated Arbroath park bench where two wartime romantics shared their first kiss has been painstakingly restored in the memory of one of the lovers.
Ayrshire man Robert Parker was training pilots stationed at East Haven, near Carnoustie, when he met Kirkcaldy lass Jessie Mitchell, a Wren at the same base.
After plucking up the courage to ask Jessie out, the pair went on a date in Arbroath and at the end of the evening found themselves sitting on a bench overlooking the town’s harbour.
The couple’s son John explained, “That was where they had their first kiss.
“They went on to get married and spent the next 62 years together until my mum sadly passed away last year.
“My dad always remembered that bench at the edge of the harbour and we ended up doing some detective work to find it.”
Unfortunately the bench had fallen into disrepair and had been removed from its location but John managed to track it down to a corner of Mackay’s boatyard.
The story touched Lynn Cameron and her father Harry Simpson, of the boatyard, and they put John in contact with Ian Gardner of Commodity Solution Services (CSS) at Kirkton Industrial Estate.
The oil and gas equipment supplier used its expertise to restore the bench to its original condition and give Mr Parker a wonderful memento to his late wife.
“The bench was a wreck when we found it and I was quite happy to pay for its restoration but Mr Gardner has absolutely point blank refused to take one penny,” said John.
“He said he was thrilled with the story behind it.”
Robert Parker, who is now 84, accompanied John and other members of his family to the CSS premises in Arbroath on Saturday to collect the bench.
The former pilot brought with him a collection of photographs of his wartime escapades — which included his crashing into the sea and a chance meeting on a Russian convoy with Yuri Andropov, who went on to become leader of the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
He is having the bench installed on his veranda at home in Largs where he intends to sit and enjoy the odd gin and tonic in memory of his beloved wife.