One of the first people to visit a hair salon since the nation went into lockdown has said it was nice to feel “like normal” again.

Sandra Jacobs was among the first people through the door at Tusk Hair in Camden on Friday night when the north London business opened its doors at midnight for the first time in three-and-a-half months.

Despite the abundance of masks, aprons and faceshields serving as a reminder of the new normal of post-Covid society, Ms Jacobs said she was just relieved to be sitting in owner Carole Rickaby’s salon chair again.

“It’s such a relief, I can’t tell you,” she said.

“My hair was everywhere. I’d been wearing hats to hide it.

“Although Carole is booked for two-and-a-half weeks, I called her and she said I could come in at midnight, which I was grateful for.

“It was nice to feel a bit like normal again.”

Ms Jacobs was not the only one feeling relieved to be back in the salon, with Ms Rickaby relishing the opportunity to pick up the scissors again.

But she said working with the added protective gear will take some getting used to.

“It’s great to be back,” she said.

“We’re being very cautious with aprons and facemasks, but it can be a bit of a problem. I wear glasses, so wearing a mask as well made my glasses steam up whenever I tried to talk.

“I ended up just telling Sandra she can talk to me and I’ll just listen.”

Despite the late night, things are only set to get busier for Ms Rickaby with bookings flooding in over the last few days.

But she said she is delighted to be able to give people something to look forward to in these difficult times.

“I’m just happy to be able to come back to work,” she said.

“Getting their hair done makes people feel better.

“Getting a haircut is a big boost for mental health and that’s exactly what people need right now.”