POPULAR Ely barber Tony Milan has dusted off his scissors and stepped out of retirement to open his second barber shop in the city.

Tony, 70, decided to retire six years ago to enjoy a quieter life at home in Fordham but found that spending time tending his allotment simply wasn’t cutting it.

He said: “I’ve always enjoyed being a barber, it’s in the blood and I’ve never done anything else in my life. I tried allotment work but it just wasn’t the same.”

Tony was taught how to shave and how to cut hair by his father Claudio, himself a second generation barber, as a young man in Lago Maggiore, in the north of Italy.

Tony moved to Ely 18 years ago and opened Tony’s Barber Shop, in Market Street.

The shop is now run by his sons Jason and Robert, with his third son Christopher joining him at his new outlet, at 46 St Mary’s Street.

“It’s the best looking place in Ely,” said Tony. “I’ve done more shaving in three days than I’ve done in three years but I’m enjoying it. It’s a beautiful place.”

INFO: Contact the shop on 01353 661188.