After three decades in business, the owners of a Tillicoultry pet shop in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, are retiring at the end of this month - and are saying goodbye with a massive sale.

David Hertwig is now looking forwards to retirement after running the popular Pet Needs and Feeds in town for almost 32 years.

Managing the Stirling Street store has been more than a full time job for David, who has been supported by wife Anne and later daughters Gemma and Claire.

It all began when the couple invested all their savings in 1985, starting their dream family-run business in December. David had previously worked for a pet food manufacturer, where gained some insight into and got a taste for the business.

They started off small, selling budgies, hamsters and rabbits while David, a welder by trade, was still working at a firm.

It was tough at the start, the young family had two children with mortgages and bills to be paid – but it all worked out in the end.

As the shop started standing on its own feet, and when David was made redundant, he managed to spend more time developing the store, working seven days a week and even going in on Christmas day to feed the pets.

Over the years, he has progressed to keeping a wide range of pets including tropical fish, tortoises, lizards, parrots and much more.

The premises were expanded too, slowly over time as they went along. David took care of the day-to-day running of the shop while wife Anne was great in supporting him by taking care of the paperwork.

Retiring after three decades, he said: “I'm a wee bit apprehensive, I must admit, because I've worked quite hard and I've enjoyed what I did and I enjoy what I do.

“It will take a wee bit getting used to, but I am sure it will be good.”