AN old pals act in the Station Bar has proved picture perfect - 60 years on.

Ian Halbert, left, and Neil Smith, right, have forged an amazing friendship from their school days and decided to recreate one of their first nights out at the same spot six decades later.

The photos shows both gents side by side in the same pose in the popular pub.

Neil, a retired council lorry driver, said: "We both went to school in Skelmorlie, Ian is 84 and I will be 79 later this year.

Their long term association with the Station Bar spans through their friendship, making it the perfect place for the snap.

Neil said: "It has stayed almost the same all of these years.

"It opened back in 1903 - unfortunately I wasn't there that day!"

Neil lives in Innes Park Road while Ian lives in Golf Course Road.

Neil is a keen football follower of Morton and was a big fan of Andy Ritchie in his heyday. He has run the Morton lottery in the Station Bar for many years.

Asked for the secret of their long friendship, Neil said: "We are just two local lads with similar interests and enjoy going to our local pub.

"We have a lot in common."

Former IBM worker Ian, a keen gardener who is an eight times winner of the Inverclyde Trophy for his sweet peas, said: "The original photo was taken when I was 24 and Neil was only 18.

"Everybody knows each other in the bar and even what you drink. Quite often the staff see me coming through the window and have my drink ready for me by the time I arrive!

"I have been retired for 29 years and was unaware of the fuss generated on Facebook by the two photos as I haven't switched a computer on since I left IBM!"

Ian added: "It was Dick Donaldson who handed us the old photo - he used to be the owner of the pub. I don't remember the original photo being taken but it was nice to do it again.

"You could say that the Station Bar certainly has a timeless quality to it."