A MONMOUTH barber celebrating half a century working at a family-run business says he has no plans to retire.

Dave Willett,65, has been cutting hair at the traditional barbers on Agincourt Street since leaving school.

The grandfather-of-four was 15 when he began an apprenticeship with his uncle Sid Lee at ST Lee’s.

It was founded by Ben Morgan in Monnow Street in 1915 and later handed it to his nephew, Sid Lee before moving to its current location in 1954. Mr Willett took over the business in 1975 when his late-uncle was forced to retire due to ill health.

Fifty years later Mr Willett, of Wyesham, is still cutting hair and has customers ranging from six months to 95 years-old, including his father Percy 94.

“Sid taught me everything I know,” explained the father-of-three.

“I stood at his right side for 18 months before he eventually let me practice cutting hair.”

He remembers his first wage packet of 10 shillings and six pence, the equivalent of £2.52 and working 40 hours a week.

His most famous clients include football manager Sir Matt Busby and cricket commentator Peter West.

“Sir Matt Busby came in one Saturday morning when he was staying at The Beaufort Arms Hotel but I didn’t realise it was him until he left and another client told me,” he recalled.

“He was going to see Sir Bobby Charlton play at Cardiff,” he said.

“Working on Saturday’s means I can’t follow sport but I’ve always been a Manchester United fan and would have liked his autograph,” he added.

“Another personality who came in thirty years ago was Peter West but again I didn’t recognise him.”

Whilst the salon still has the original fittings from 1915, Mr Willett has had to adapt to modern fashion trends from mohicans to tram lines and spikes.

“I do all sorts of hairstyles and try to recreate the look in the photos they bring in. It’s very different from when I started but I love the job and wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he added.