A BARBER who gave his full day’s takings to Help for Heroes to mark his business' first anniversary raised nearly £400 for the charity.

Ross Mitchell, 32, and his fiancée Sarah Deary, 23, are from The Gentleman’s Club barbers, Barnard Castle, in County Durham.

The Newgate business marked its first anniversary last Saturday. (March 21)

Customers were asked to donate the cost of their haircut to the charity and some gave even more to raise £388. Collection tins will add to the amount raised.

Mr Mitchell said: “We asked people to donate the cost of their haircuts and even if the cut cost just £14 people were putting £20 in.

“I think Help for Heroes is a really good charity and we appreciate what the military does. It’s a way we thought of giving back to the military without having to join up.

“It was really good and we’re over the moon to have raised so much. We got a few more customers in because of it and some ex-servicemen as well.”

This is not the first time that staff at The Gentleman’s Club has helped out charity.

On the business' opening day the staff raised £360 for the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity which helps children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses.

Bryn Parry, co-founder of Help for Heroes, said: “We’d like to thank Ross and Sarah for putting on this amazing fundraiser for Help for Heroes.

“Thousands of people across the UK have joined in and together have created the Help for Heroes phenomenon.

“The money raised is all used to provide direct, practical support to those wounded in the service of our country.”