Hairstylist from near Spilsby is shortlisted for British Hair and Beauty Awards

Rebecca Banham has just received the exciting news she has been shortlisted for the British Hair and Beauty Awards and she says seeing her clients grow in confidence like this makes her love her profession all the more.

You won't find Hair Extensions by Rebecca on the high street - her little studio is in her conservatory, which has been transformed into a salon and even boasts a flower door.

But Rebecca has big ambitions, not only to expand her home in Hundley to include a stylish salon but to also one day compete in a top London show.

For Rebecca, like other stylists, it has been a tough year with Covid-19 forcing salons to close and, when they were allowed to open, imposing conditions that called for masks, no drinks and less of the chat.

"I haven't seen my clients' faces for a year," said Rebecca, who admitted she cried when Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled hairdressers' reopening. "It was quite emotional when my clients were finally allowed to come back and I wanted to give them a hug but, of course, I'm still not allowed to.

"At least we have been able to ditch the visors and just wear masks, but I can't wait for the day we can through them in the air like graduating at college."

Lockdown was certainly not a quiet time for Rebecca. A trained mechanic as well as stylist, who met her husband at college, if she hasn't been fitting in a service she has been online learning more about her hair styling craft.

"There have been some excellent webinars by top hairdressers during lockdown that were totally free," she said.

"On one day I was even livestreaming to LA to learn advanced colouring techniques."

Although she offers a full hair care service, extensions have become her passion and it is here where she has already been recognised nationally this year having been named a finalist in the Hair Extensions Specialist of the Year awards.

"If anything lockdown has made me love hairdressing even more," she said.

"People often didn't treat you seriously when you said you were a hairdresser but I think they appreciate us now after having to live with lockdown hair," she said.

"I tried to stop my clients doing DIY jobs but I've certainly had some challenges.

"But we always come up with a plan. I'm just happy to be back."

* Hair Extensions by Rebecca Banham can be found on Facebook