A FOOTBALL-LOVING barber was happy to see his beloved Newport County win promotion to the Football League just days before he died.

Aldo Giuseppe Carnevale, 70, died on Tuesday after a year-long battle with myelofibrosis – a disorder which causes scarring of the bone marrow and affects the creation of blood cells.

The much-loved men’s hairdresser of almost 50 years was a big Exiles fan and was thrilled to see players Christian Jolley and Aaron O’Connor secure victory for the club on Sunday as County beat Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley.

His son Mark, 43, said: "This [promotion] was a big thing for dad. He hung on for that to happen. He was only asking yesterday morning whether they would have new any new signings for next year - that shows how nice it was for him."

Mr Carnevale, of Lliswerry, moved to Newport from Sora in Italy in 1962 aged 19 to join his brother Tony who was already here.

The grandfather-of-four, who began working as a barber aged just 12, soon found work in Cwmbran.

He later move to work at a barber’s in John Frost Square, then Market Arcade before setting up his own shop, officially called Gentlemen’s Hairdressers, but affectionately known as Aldo’s, on Stow Hill.

There he served his loyal customers for 30 years right up until the age of 69 before retiring last year.

His wife Marlene, 63, said: "He worked longer than he should have because he was loyal to his customers, he didn’t want to let them down. In work they used to love him."

His son Mark described his dad as a perfectionist who often believed he knew what his clients wanted better than they did.

He joked: "One customer once said dad had cut his hair too short, but dad said ‘don’t worry son, it will grow back in a month’ and that customer still went back."

"He loved the customers and the banter, he was onto third generations – grandfather’s would bring in their grandchildren."

Mrs Carnevale added: "He was very generous, if people didn’t have any money, he would do it anyway."

The family, including his daughter Adele, 39, and grandchildren Abbie, 19, Benito, 14, Megan, seven, and Evie, two, paid tribute to staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital’s haematology department and the nurses at St David’s Hospice Care who supported them in the past year.

Mr Carnevale’s funeral takes place at St Patrick’s Church on Cromwell Road, at 12pm on May 16, followed by burial at St Woolos Cemetery at 1pm.

Donations in his memory can be made to St David’s Hospice Care.