The legacy of a popular barber is to live on through the shop that bears his name.

Colin Thorne, who cut the hair of generations of Ledbury families, died in October at the age of 75.

Thorne’s Barbers was closed for a week following Mr Thorne’s death, but soon open again in the capable hands of Rachel Griffiths.

She has now confirmed she will be continuing to run the shop - and in news sure to be welcomed by loyal customers, says she isn’t planning to change a thing.

Ledbury Reporter: Popular barber Colin Thorne died in OctoberPopular barber Colin Thorne died in October (Image: Caz Coombes)

Miss Griffiths has already been working in the shop for the past nine years and had known Mr Thorne for even longer.

“I had one of Colin’s many grandchildren,” she said, “and I’d known him for years as part of the barbering community - I had a shop in Bromyard for seven or eight years.

“We never worked alongside each other - I rented a chair in the early days then I covered for Colin on the days he wasn’t working.

“I was given first refusal to keep the shop open and in the last conversation I’d had with Colin, he said he wanted to get the shop to 80 years, so I’m going to keep it going.”

Mr Thorne was proud the shop had been run by his family for decades, having been taken over by his father Emrys Thorne in 1947.

Ledbury Reporter: Rachel Griffiths says she has big shoes to fill taking over from Colin ThorneRachel Griffiths says she has big shoes to fill taking over from Colin Thorne (Image: Rachel Griffiths)

There has been a barbershop on the site in The Homend since 1910.

“I’ve got some big shoes to fill,” said Miss Griffiths. “And I’m going to be open five days a week so I need to step it up.

“The name of the shop will never change. And I always liked the way he ran it - he kept it simple and that’s not going to change.

“It is strange, I keep expecting him to walk through the door, or just be in there cutting. I have his scissors and comb, and the shop is full of his quirks.

“He was an amazing bloke who never said a bad word about anybody.”

The opening times for the shop are Monday and Tuesday 10am-5pm, Wednesday closed, Thursday and Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 8.30am-3pm.