Image copyright Duncan Brown Image caption Mr Salmond (on the left..) came face to face with Mr MacLeod at his constituency office

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has met his professional lookalike for the first time.

John MacLeod, from Blackburn in Aberdeenshire, was signed up by a lookalikes agency because of his similarity to Mr Salmond.

But despite portraying Mr Salmond at events ahead of the independence referendum, the pair had never met.

They finally came face-to-face at Mr Salmond's constituency office in Inverurie.

Mr MacLeod had previously told BBC Scotland that he feared his bookings were starting to dry up after Mr Salmond stood down as first minister and SNP leader.

Image copyright ALison Jackson Image caption Mr MacLeod has previously worked with a David Cameron lookalike

But his lookalike career could be set for a revival, with Mr Salmond confirming over the weekend that he is to stand as a candidate in the Gordon constituency at the next general election.

Mr MacLeod, a taxi driver who is signed to the Susan Scott Lookalikes agency, is regularly stopped in the street by people who mistake him for Mr Salmond.

He first realised he looked like the former SNP leader when one of his passengers pointed out the similarity of the two men, who both live in the north east of Scotland.

Mr MacLeod said: "People would say 'there's Alex Salmond. I have the same face, and everything, same looks. I used to be a skinny lad, and I just put on weight.

"Susan phoned me and asked if I could send some photos. It was ace, really good fun. We did a few stunts."