Barber Pete's ready to hang up scissors after 53 years

But now, after 53 years of keeping the region's gents perfectly groomed, the barber is saying goodbye to the profession.

The 68-year-old, of Brownhills, first began training at the age of 15 at his uncle Billy's barber shop in Green Lane, Leamore.

He went on to own his own shop from the age of 20 and has run Pete Emery Gents Hairdressers in Green Lane, Leamore, ever since.

The business has been a lifelong passion for Mr Emery, helping to transform the image of his customers while enjoying the banter about football and politics.

But the married grandfather of six has now been forced to step down as a result of health issues.

He said: "It's got to the stage where my body's decided it's had enough. I've got sciatica.

"I could have kept on doing it, but it's difficult with having to stand up all day.

"Up until 18 months ago, I thought I could have carried on for much longer but it's just wear and tear.

"My shop was only around 200 metres from where my uncle's shop was. He was a hairdresser for 35 to 40 years.

"I went into it because you had to learn a trade in those days and it was a family thing.

"I enjoyed working as a men's hairdresser because of all the talk of football and politics. I enjoyed the banter."

Mr Emery, of Oakenhayes Crescent, said since he went into the trade, the biggest change he had seen was the birth of unisex hairdressers.

He also says it can be difficult trying to employ male hairdressers these days, as less and less are entering the profession.

The shop has now been taken over by Mr Emery's employee of 25 years, Paul Alexander.

Mr Alexander, 45, said Mr Emery, who trained at Walsall College, is one of the best hairdressers Walsall has even seen.

He said: "The story for me is that the Emery hairdressers have been going in Leamore for 75 years.

"Pete's uncle Billy started up his shop just after the war in 1948. Pete then trained with him from 15 before going out on his own.

"He's owned three shops in the area in his time. He had one in Coalpool, one in Arden Road and this one on Green Lane.

"Pete opened up the Green Lane one in 1986 and I've worked with him ever since."

He added that working in the shop he has seen dozens of boys grow into men, and Mr Emery has cut the hair of as many as three or four generations.

Mr Alexander, of Sedgley, added: "They come in here generation after generation - it's a bit of an institution.

"There's men that come in here with their grandchildren who had their first cut with Pete. I've watched people grow up. "We've given people advice on their first girlfriends and how to cope when they've been going through divorces."

He joked: "We're more like counsellors"

Mr Alexander says he is eager to keep the business of gents hairdressing in the area afloat as, although there are very few male hairdressers going into the business, there is still very much a market out there.