After 62 years of cutting hair and styling beards, a Teignmouth barber hung up his scissors for the final time on Christmas Eve.

Tony Colkin, who is 77, comes from a long line of barbers. He started his career in Coventry in Colkin’s, the family business his grandfather opened in 1922.

Tony relocated to Teignmouth in 1982 after the birth of his daughter. He had grown to love the town after spending childhood summers visiting his grandparents, who ran a guest house on Glendaragh Road.

‘When I was 8 or 9 I used to get the train from Coventry and spend the summers here visiting my grandparents,’ Tony recalled.

His parents would be working through the holidays so he would travel alone.

‘I would be put on the train from Coventry and be met in Bristol by a guard who would then put me on the train to Teignmouth,’ he continued. ‘I was always told to look for the letters as that’s when I would have to get off,’ he added.

On moving to Teignmouth, Tony opened a barbershop on The Triangle, aptly named ‘Tony’s’.

He considered retiring 12 years ago and sold the business to Gareth Parsons, who renamed it Scallywags, but decided to continue wielding his scissors and clippers on a part-time basis.

The best thing about working as a barber has been the people, Tony said. ‘Through barbering I’ve met some great people and it’s opened up lots of doors.’

Tony is not exactly sure what the future holds but has ‘a few things planned’. His colleagues at Scallywags also have plans for him in the new year and are arranging a party to celebrate his retirement.

‘Today has been hard,’ Tony said as he prepared to cut one of his last heads of hair. ‘But I’m grateful for my health and I’d like to thank the town for supporting me over the years.’