Ex-cons work the locks in barber shop

FREED prisoners are cutting their links to crime and walking into jobs as high street barbers.

Timpson, which in the past has hired killers for its key shops, has branched out with three barbershops in North West England.

It is training inmates at Usk in South Wales and Thorn Cross in Cheshire, and has plans to expand into other prisons.

Founder James Timpson said: “The barbershops are doing really well.

“We have some former prisoners working for us. They are doing a fantastic job and really enjoying their placements.”

Timpsons already has training for shoe-mending and watch-fixing in several jails – though inmates only learn to cut keys once they are released.