Two Clydebank doctors have toasted their retirement following over three decades of patient care in the town.

Dr Alex Potter and Dr Alison Wilding of the Red Wing at Clydebank Health Centre retired at the end of last week after 32 and 30 years respectively.

And colleagues celebrated their unwavering service to Bankies through the years with gifts and well wishes over coffee and cake down at the new health centre on Thursday as the pair tended to the final patients off their watch.

Speaking to the Post, Dr Wilding admitted it had been an emotional send-off.

She said: “It’s been very strange. Really weird and very emotional.

“I’ve had so many lovely gifts and cards and things, from flowers and wine, and all sorts of lovely gifts from patients over the last few weeks.”

And Dr Potter agreed, describing the generosity from colleagues and patients as being too much to take in.

He said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by people’s cards and comments and generosity and gifts and just the things that people write and things people remember.

“It really is quite humbling and touching and quite emotional, and it all feels a bit surreal.”

Both veteran doctors recalled their very first steps into the Red Wing practice at the old health centre on Kilbowie Road and Dr Potter admitted he was unsure at first about where he was going.

He said: “I was working in Bermuda (as a GP) and was getting bored of it. My friend phoned me up, who was married to one of the partners here, I remember it as if it was yesterday, I said ‘I’m thinking about coming home in the spring.’ He said, ‘well there’s a locum going in Clydebank,’ and I said ‘where’s Clydebank?”

Although neither Dr Wilding or Dr Potter is originally from Clydebank, both soon found a home in the West Dunbartonshire town, helping and caring for the local community since the early nineties.

And the pair have praised the people of Clydebank for their kindness and honesty throughout their medical careers in the town.

Dr Wilding said: “The people of Clydebank are lovely. They are definite Bankies. They are not Glaswegians, they are definite Bankies.

“They’ve got a real sense of community and I’ve looked after many people that were in the Blitz or people who lost family in the Blitz.

“They have that real strength of character and real spirit about them.”

Dr Potter added: “They (Bankies) are very grateful for your efforts, they are understanding, they are realistic. I’ve loved it.”

The retiring doctors admit they will have a strange feeling when Monday morning arrives and they won’t have to begin their usual start of the week routine.

And as with many retirees, plans for leisure and a spot of sport might be on the cards for the summer ahead.

Dr Wilding finished: “I’m going to jump off the hamster wheel and stop and unscramble my body and my brain for a while.

“I’ve re-joined my gym, and I’m going to re-join the golf club. I haven’t played golf since my son was born 20 years ago.