Family hail hairdresser who spotted lump behind widower’s ear

A RETIRED company director’s life has potentially been saved thanks to having a haircut.

When James Mackenzie, 82, went for his regular trim, his hairdresser Kerrin Taylor noticed a lump behind his ear.

She mentioned it to him and suggested he get it checked out, but fearing he would not, she contacted a family friend whose hair she also cut, who then told Mr Mackenzie’s daughter.

That led to a GP appointment and a referral to a specialist, who confirmed the lump was a basal cell carcinoma.

The widower, who lives in

Wotton- under- Edge, Gloucestershire, is due to have it removed later this month.

His daughter, Clare Peevers, told the PA news agency: “I had never met Kerrin before but I knew her name because she used to cut my mum’s hair.

“I knew she was very nice to my father when my mother died, and gave him his first haircut for free because I think he must have walked in looking a bit lost.

“My mother always cut his hair and I don’t think he had ever been to a hairdresser.”

Miss Taylor spotted the lump behind the retired company director’s ear. “He went in and had his haircut and she said this is a nasty lump,” Mrs Peevers said.

“She said that wasn’t good and said he needed to see a doctor about it and he said ‘ Yes, yes, yes’ – typical man.”

Miss Taylor spoke to Graham Archer, who worked for Kilcot

Conservation for many years, and he told Mrs Peevers.

“He then phoned me to tell me my father had a lump behind his ear. I went to see him, and I could see it. We sent the photo off to the GP, who sent it off to the specialist and eventually he got called in,” she added.