A SISTER act have clocked up a staggering 80 years of service with a Girls' Brigade company in Port Glasgow.

Izzy Docherty and Alison McFarlane have been with the youth organisation since they were five years old.

Both became officers when they turned 18 and have continued to give up their time for youngsters ever since.

They were recognised at the 2nd Port Glasgow prizegiving at the town's New Parish Church.

Izzy, a pupil support assistant at Kilmacolm Primary School, said: "The Girls' Brigade has been a way of life for us.

"It teaches young people how to respect others, look out for people and to realise that not everyone has the same advantages.

"It's all about learning life skills."

Izzy, who lives in Greenock, is currently lieutenant-in-charge.

She added: "It is faith-based, but we have girls from all denominations.

"We must have taught thousands of girls over the years.

"We meet people in the street who know us from when they were in the Girls' Brigade when they were five years old.

"They always remember you."

Izzy says her late mother would be have been so proud that she and Alison received their 40 years service award after such a rewarding career.

She told the Tele said: "Our mum would have been thrilled to bits.

"I work in a school, so I like being with children and listening to their stories.

"I would like to think that if any of them have problems, they feel they can talk to us and we will try and help them in any way we can.

"It brings people together from different areas, it's like a second family here."

Izzy has come through a traumatic few years after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing gruelling treatment.

She has now been in remission for six years and says the support she received from her family and brigade was 'amazing'.

She said: "I showed the girls I was wearing a wig because all my hair had fallen out.

"They helped keep me going during it."

Alison, who lives in Wemyss Bay, juggles her brigade commitments with her job as a pharmacy technician.

Both women's families have also followed in their footsteps with Izzy's son Ross, 23, joining the Boys' Brigade when he was younger and Alison's daughter, also Alison, 30, a member of the Girls' Brigade. Her son Euan, 23, joined the Scouts.

Izzy says she has no intention of slowing down.

She said: "It's all about being active and giving something back to the community, that's the way we were brought up.

"We have still got friends from the Girls' Brigade going back to when we were five."