The key to a good haircut

ITALIAN gents hairdresser Giovanni Ciarla is known as The Key Ring King. He has nearly 1,000 key rings brought back from every continent of the world by his customers – including one from Antarctica. The idea started about three years ago when Giovanni

ITALIAN gents' hairdresser Giovanni Ciarla is known as The Key Ring King.

He has nearly 1,000 key rings brought back from every continent of the world by his customers - including one from Antarctica.

The idea started about three years ago when Giovanni asked the grandchild of one of his customers to bring him back a key ring from his holiday in Florida as a souvenir.

He said: "It was too beautiful to just put in my pocket. It was a lucky penny, so I hung it on the wall and then other customers started bringing me back key rings and I made a display of them.

"Now I have hundreds of key rings from Egypt, Africa, Russia, China and India, all over the world."

The gifts include mementos from of New Zealand, Tokyo, Chile, Alaska, Thailand and Brazil, but he claims not to have a favourite: "I couldn't. If I chose one, it might upset my other clients."

Originally from Campobasso, the capital of the Molise region of Italy, Giovanni is a friend of the owners of the Molise restaurant in St Ives. He says: "I came to England to work here as a hairdresser for six months and I stayed 41 years."

He first came to Peterborough and then opened Hair by Giovanni in Ramsey. His son and daughter run another branch of the salon in Warboys.