GENIAL gents barber Norman Garrett has trimmed the last fringe and shaped his last sideburn after cutting hair in Kendal for almost half-a-century, reports Mike Addison.

The 64-year-old has sold the Stramongate shop he took over from his father in 1973 to Chris Garrick who currently runs a hairdressing business on the outskirts of town.

Mr Garrett's snipping skills were taught to him by his father, also called Norman, who started in business on Stramongate - at a shop next door to the present one - in 1945.

Valued customers are what Mr Garrett is going to miss the most and they will miss his friendly manner and the chats from the chair which range much wider than: "Where are you going for your holidays this year?"

"You've got to be able to talk about almost anything," said Mr Garrett, who lives on Charles Street.

"There are plenty of older people who come into the shop.

You are probably the only person that they confide in if they live on their own."

Mr Garrett is particularly proud of the fact that in all the years he has been working business has always been good and many customers have remained loyal to the shop since he started.

Over the years he has seen many changes in hairstyle and has done everything from lopping off the lot to a Mohican.

"I've done any amount of David Beckhams before David Beckham was ever thought of."

"I always look after my customers.

They are my advert as they go out of the shop," said Mr Garrett, who is married to Thelma and has three daughters.

"They need to look tidy.

That has always been my philosophy."

Mr Garrett's most traumatic moment came in September 1992 when an 89-year-old customer died as he was having his hair cut.

"He just literally went to sleep," said Mr Garrett, who administered the kiss-of-life.

"When I realised he was not breathing, I gave him the kiss-of-life.

The doctor came but he could not save him."

Since 1990 Mr Garrett has also raised over £3,000 for charity by going in to work on the Thursday after the Children in Need Appeal - his day off - and donating all takings to the cause.

"It's my customers that have put all the money in.

I've just worked my day off," said Mr Garrett, who intends to pursue his interests of sequence dancing and angling during retirement.

Holding back the tears an emotional Mr Garrett said: "You can't work away for 49 years of your life and not miss it.

I am going to miss my customers greatly."