TRIBUTES have been paid to a community stalwart known for serving Rosyth it's favourite ice cream, tablet and penny lollies for decades.

Remo Tazioli owned the town's much-loved sweet shop on Aberlour Street – just a couple of doors down from his brother, Domenico (Donald), who ran the family chippy.

He died on April 8, at the age of 92, after a short illness.

Remo was born in the flat above 'the shop' after his father, Celestino, moved to Fife from a tiny town called Barga in Tuscany but grew up and attended school in Italy.

After returning to Scotland and a time in the RAF as a physical training instructor, a chance meeting on holiday back home in Italy was the start of a lifelong romance with his wife, Lily.

They married in 1951 in Barga and travelled back to Scotland to take up ownership of ‘Tazioli confectioners’ together, which had opened in 1947.

Working and living together would be a test for anyone but not for Lily and Remo, who would spend a very happy 64 years together until Lily became ill and died in 2015.

Their son, Roy, also worked in the shop alongside his wife, Linda, until Remo and Lily decided to retire in their 70s and the shop closed shortly after in 2000, as Roy went on to pursue other ventures.

Remo's grand-daughter, Lia, told the Press: "The family business went back to my great-grandad and many people have memories of the wee cafe and chip shop and the confectionary where my grandad made homemade ice-cream and tablet.

"My gran was only 20 when she married my grandad and she arrived in Scotland not speaking a word of English!

"They lived in the flat above the shop all of their days so everybody knew the family.

"Especially with a name like Tazioli – although not many people can spell it!

"I can't go anywhere without bumping into folk who know the family. They were really a big part of Rosyth for decades as by the time my grandparents retired, they were in their late seventies."

Tazioli's Confectionary is now a hairdressers in Rosyth and the chip shop was also sold when Donald retired.

"My dad was at the age where he could still go and do something else and I was going to study chemistry so they decided to call it a day," Lia explained.

"So it's all my fault! There could have been a long legacy!

"But my grandad was very supportive of me and very proud.

"My grandad was the kind of man that everyone wanted to run things past and seek advice from. He was extremely hard-working and believed that you get out what you put in.

"He was selfless, kind, patient and extremely well-organised, he was always early for everything!

"People were customers, they were friends, and people would go into the shop for a chat for hours."

The family said people from across Rosyth had paid tribute to Remo.

Lia added: "The response has been amazing – you can see everybody has fond memories of the shop.

"Across the generations people have known them – it was a different world then but it doesn't seem that long ago!"

Steven Stewart, chairman of Rosyth Community Council, has many found memories of going to Tazioli's as a child.

He said: "The family were absolute stalwarts of the community, as a child I was always in the sweet shop and also the chippy!

"Their penny lollies were sensational – people would come from miles for a visit.

"The Taziolis were very well thought-of by everybody in the town – just a lovely family.

"They're part of many people's memories and I remember as a child going to the park and walking along with about a crowd of 30-40 going for an ice cream after!"