Wakefield teen with aspirations of becoming a barber inundated with apprenticeship offers

The Horbury teenager has been inundated after photos of his barbering skills went viral on social media.

His mum, Hayley Woolley, put photos of his haircuts on Facebook and asked whether people knew of any places taking on as he struggled to find a placement.

He began cutting hair at 14 during the first Covid-19 lockdown, practising on his nine brothers and sisters.

Ashton said: “I finished school a couple of months ago, I was going to go on a college course but it didn’t work out for me.

“I first started cutting hair during lockdown, when the barbers were closed.

"I’ve got quite a few siblings so I began cutting their hair. Before lockdown, I used to watch how the barbers would cut my hair and it has always been something that I’m into.

“It is not just something I want to do as a job, it is a hobby as well.

"I want to open my own barbers. I’ve been looking at shops to let and working out the prices, it is my next target.

"All I want to do now is get into a shop and work myself up.”

His mum, Hayley, said: “I think what he is doing is great. During lockdown, all of my kids, eight boys and two girls, needed haircuts and so he started practising on them.

"This is what he wants to do for the rest of his life.

"He could have gone on other courses at college but all he wants to do is cut hair.”

His dad, Nikki, added: “For now, we are going to keep his options open and look at what shop will be the best for him.

"It was only a few days ago that he was feeling a bit down about not being able to find a shop to take him on.

“All of my kids are talented, my younger ones are very into football and my eldest is into art, but Ashton has always been into barbering.

"He likes to take care of himself and I think he likes to make sure others are looking good as well.”