A BUSINESS offering manicures and pedicures carried out by fish is proving popular in the North-East.

Foot Love, the region’s first garra ruffa fish spa, has taken on four staff.

Nicole Wood, 19, Kirsty Giles, 21, Lynne Phillipson, 47, and Sarah Phillipson, 22, join owner Lisa Collins at the Forth Street Arches spa, near Newcastle Central Station.

Fish pedicures and manicures are popular in Asia, Europe and the US.

Tiny garra ruffa, or doctor fish are a toothless carp which eat the dead skin which forms on the feet and in between the toes.

Several grams of tissue can be removed in one sitting, eliminating the need to use traditional methods such as pumice stones, ointments or lotions.

Launched in August, the Newcastle spa is already taking 250 bookings a week.

Ms Collins said: “There’s clearly a demand from North- Easterners looking for something different.”