Shear joy (From This is Hampshire)

Shear joy

10:33am Friday 25th July 2008 in

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HE HAS cut more than 100,000 heads of hair but despite reaching the grand age of 80 a Southampton barber is refusing to slow up with his scissors.

For 60 years Diagoras Onoufriou or Doug' as he is known to friends has been at the cutting edge of hairdressing and even refused to down tools for his 80th birthday which he celebrated in his beloved barber shop.

And he says he has no intention of hanging up his shears anytime soon. "It's part of my life and I enjoy it. I just don't want to give it up I shall miss it if I do.

"It's the social side it keeps me active. I could retire now but I would miss the gossips, the jokes and the laughter."

Over the years the Cyprus-born Bitterne resident has cut most styles of hair but still has his favourites.

Doug said: "I loved doing the Teddy Boy haircuts the most, I've done college boy haircuts, the skin heads and nowadays we have a lot more spiky hair cuts."

Doug has had his barber shop in St Deny's Road since 1963, previously owning one in Commercial Road in the city centre.

The father of three and grandfather of six moved across to England after getting married at the age of 18. Diagoras and wife Photini lived and worked in the West End of London before moving to the south coast.

The Daily Echo even featured Doug ten years ago aged 70 when he continued to work five years past the normal age of retirement.

Doug added: "I was out with my wife and we bumped into our GP. Even he said I shouldn't retire, if I enjoyed it I should be allowed to go on. I take pride in my job as well, if someone comes in with a good texture of hair and I manage to make the fellow look nice it gives you a good feeling."