A HAIRDRESSER enjoyed a double celebration this week after racking up 50-years in the industry just before her 65th birthday.

Lesley Duncan, who celebrated her birthday on Monday, has worked as a hairdresser mostly in Richmond since she left school and took up an apprenticeship after first working as a Saturday girl.

And she is still going strong 50-years-later, having owned the Capelli Hairdressing salon with her sister Jackie Pitman for the last 28-years.

The Mayor of Richmond, Lorraine Hodgson, popped in to congratulate Lesley on her birthday.

Lesley said: "It is just like having a day out really.

"It is hard work but enjoyable work and everybody realises how important hairdressers are now.

"After the lockdown people were desperate to get their hair done, it just cheers you up and everybody usually leaves here happy."

Amazingly, Lesley still has a couple of customers whose hair she has been cutting since she finished her apprenticeship aged 18.

And the job became a lifeline to her when her husband Ian sadly died after a stroke nine-years-ago. She said: "I was back at work two weeks later, it was just better for me to be busy at work. It was a real lifeline at the time."

Lesley is drawing near to retirement age and will consider whether to keep on cutting beyond that.

She joked: "If Audrey from Coronation Street is still working, I am still working!"