The long and the short of it
AWishaw barber, who was having his hair cut for the first time in three years, placed his faith in a young customer to carry out the important task.
And now Paul Thompson, who runs Studio 1, is donating his shorn locks to the Little Princess Trust charity.
Rather than call in the services of another qualified barber or hairdresser, Paul made the unusual decision to have one of his regular customers cut his hair.
Mason Barrie, 10, stepped up to the chair equipped with his own styling scissors, and made a top job of the intricate cut.
The P6 pupil at Calderbridge Primary, had heard that Paul was growing his hair for the charity and decided to join him.
The duel cut took place at the barber’s shop on Innerleithen Drive, Coltness – also home to a tattoo studio – run by Paul, 29, and his wife Ashleigh (Ash), 32.
“It was Mason who cut my hair off, and I was impressed with him only being 10 years old,” said Paul.
“Mason is a friend and a customer and lives in the same street, round the corner from the shop.
“He grew his for fashion at first and was in regularly before lockdown getting his split ends cut off.
“Then he heard I was cutting mine off for charity and decided to do the same.
“I’m quite notorious for having my hair long, even when I was younger it was long.
“My hair has always been around shoulder length but never as long as that.
“During lockdown I didn’t bother to cut my own hair. I left it and left it until it was a really good length.
“Two or three months back I just thought. ‘These children need it more than me’.
“It’s strange, I keep going to pull my hair back and it’s not there.”
The Little Princess Trust provides a vital service with the real hair wigs to those who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions
They can’t use hair that is shorter than 17cm (around 7ins), and encourage longer length donations.
Paul continued: “Mine’s was something like 16 or 17 inches long. I was quite chuffed to get so far over the minimum.”
So what did the barber make of his own cut carried out at the hands of the young apprentice?
“He was really good,” Paul admitted. “I bought him a wee pair of scissors, small enough for his hands.
“He was practising in the house, how barbers and hairdressers hold their scissors.
“He has a sister with really long hair so I wondered if she might wake up with a bob one morning,” Paul added jokingly.
Tattoo artist Ash, said: “It was really brave of Mason with him being so young.
“I liked Paul’s long hair but it was a a really worthwhile cause and I’d rather it went to the children who need it. Better it goes to good use than in the bin.”
Paul and Ash have also raised more than £700 for the charity, through donations and a raffle.
They are just happy to be back in the shop following its lengthy enforced closure.
Paul added: “I’ve had a few customers with long hair to cut, and I’ve also had a few home disaster haircuts to fix.
“It’s just me and Ash in the shop. We’re glad to be open again and just looking to give everyone a bit of normality.
“It was harder during the second lockdown, with both of us out of work.”