A former Gloucester rugby player who has battled bowel cancer is having his 'lockdown' hair shaved off by his goddaughter on the day she opens a new hair salon in Newent.

Lee Fortey, who played for Worcester Warriors and Newport, as well as the Cherry and Whites and has coached at a number of clubs, was diagnosed with bowel cancer last October.

On Saturday, he's 'braving the shave' and trusting his locks to 21-year-old Beth Broady who is opening Broady's Hair and Beauty Salon in Broad Street, Newent, that day after a £10,000 investment

Lee has been lifelong friends with Beth's father, James Broady. 

Lee said: "We go back a long way. We've been through thick and thin through the good times and the bad.

"Since I got diagnosed with bowel cancer it's been a bit of a process but I'm not too bad. They took the tumour out which was good and it hasn't gone anywhere else so I've managed to survive and I didn't need any further treatment which is a blessing really.

"I've been growing my hair for just over two years. When the first lockdown came in I said to my wife 'I'm going to grow my hair to see what happens' then carried on growing it. It's been a bit of a standing joke.

Lee, who is married to Christina and has five children, added: "I thought I'd give something back to Macmillan because they've been great. They were there straight away and they helped me through it. I'm going to miss my hair to be honest!

"From my point of view it's more about awareness, getting the message out because as blokes we don't talk about it."

As well as raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support, Lee will donate his locks to the Little Princess Trust which makes real hair wigs for children and young people who have lost their own hair.

Beth admitted: "I am nervous but because it's him and he's such a big character I'm honoured that he's asked me to do it more than anything. It's such a big thing."

Beth, who lives in Gloucester but went to Newent School, added: "I always wanted to open a salon. The salon that I've taken on was an existing salon run by my cousin's Nan. She closed it when Covid started in March two years ago and she hasn't opened at all since then.

"They asked me if I wanted to take the salon on and make it my own and have my little 'baby', let's say. From there we've just been putting all the hard work in with a bit of maintenance work.

"To start with it's just going to be me on my own in there doing hair for ladies, men and children. As I grow and get busier I will look to get a nail person and someone doing eyebrows and eyelashes, that sort of thing. I think there will be quite a lot of passing trade."

After working as a Saturday girl, Beth did a hairdressing apprenticeship and then got her qualifications.

She said: "I've been around hair salons since I was little because my mum worked in a hair salon as a receptionist. Since I can remember I've always been around hairdressing."

Check out Lee's 'Brave the Shave' page at https://bravetheshave.macmillan.org.uk/shavers/lee-fortey