A 75-year-old barber who has been cutting hair in Swindon since he left school, has decided its finally time to retire from his beloved profession.

Wayne Hayward is recovering from a successful heart bypass after suffering a heart attack at the end of last year. He plans to marry his partner of 19 years Mary, 72, this March.

He wants to thank his loyal customers, some of whom have been seeing him for 55 years. Three generations of one family have always visited Wayne for their haircuts.

The Adver reported on his first retirement attempt in 2009 when he hung up the clippers in his shop Wayne's Barbers on Victoria Road after 40 years.

But he enjoyed his job so much he ended up converting his bungalow's utility room into a barber shop.

He said: "When you've known some of your customers for 55 years, they're not really clients anymore they're your friends.

"The amount of phone calls and cards I've had is incredible and I feel very fortunate that people are wanting to see how I'm doing.

"I get very emotional about it but I just want to thank everyone for their loyalty.

"I shall miss the chat and seeing people as I just feel part of their lives.

"I really loved the job and I'm sad that it had to end in this way.

"I get invited to weddings, christenings, funerals because it's all part of business when you have respect for each other.

"I'm hoping to use my camper van more to get away with Mary now I'm retiring.

"We will be having family and friends to the wedding and perhaps we will have a little honeymoon somewhere so there's lots to look forward to."

Wayne had his first heart attack back in 2006 which is why he didn't renew the lease on the Victoria Road shop in 2009 and started working from home.

Since leaving Wayne's Barbers in 2009, Wayne has seen more than 90 customers in his converted utility room. He was still working two days a week for six hours a day until recently.

Wayne describes himself as a "traditional barber" even though things have changed a lot in the years he's worked.

Wayne, his parents and his grandparents were all born in Swindon.

As soon as he left school, he trained as an apprentice and improver for five years before managing other barber shops around town.

He bought the premises on Victoria Road for his own shop in 1969 where he ended up staying for 40 years.