Why would you travel 530 miles for a haircut?

For Al Nicolau and his wife, Ramona, the answer is simple.

They do it for their son.

Seven-year-old Alex, who is autistic, dreaded a trip to the hairdressers, “shaking and jerking” whenever he needed a trim and fearing the noisy environment of chatter and dryers.

His parents Al and Ramona Nicolau discovered the Blade Inclusive Salon, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, which specialises in haircuts for clients with neurodivergent needs.

Despite moving from Norfolk to Aberdeen in 2022, they still make the 530-mile trip to Suffolk four times a year – coinciding with visits to grandad – so Alex can have his hair cut at Blade.

“We pop down at Easter, in the summer, in October, and we pop there at Christmas time,” says Al, whose son used to be non-verbal.

“It works so well and he’s so calm. He actually wants to go there for his haircut, whereas up this way we haven’t found anywhere quite as good.

“Other places can be a bit of a fight and battle – but the sensory room at Blade has made a massive difference.”