A barber from the Douglas has made it to the shortlist of a nationwide competition to be crowned the best wet shaving barber in Great Britain (and the Isle of Man).

Louis Lord, from Drewry’s barbers in Duke Street, is set to face-off against other top barbers in the North West of England regional final of Britain’s Best Shave 2018 at the Alan Howard store in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on March 13.

If the 21-year-old secures the top spot in the regional heat, Louis go through to a the national final, which will take place inside a boxing ring at Barber UK at the Birmingham NEC on Sunday, May 20.

Louis said: ’I’ve been barbering since I was 17 years old.

’I’ve grown up in the hair industry as my mother was a hairdresser.

’I’ve only learned shaving over the past couple of years but I’m now known on the island for the quality of my shave, intrigued by the history and the process I feel more attached to it every time my blade crosses the skin.

’Being from an island, we are still pretty disconnected from everyone else. So a chance to put myself forward and showcase my skills, even putting my home on the map for something relatively niche and bespoke would be amazing for me. I want to show myself more importantly how far I’ve come since being a kid in my mum’s hair salon.

’I can’t wait for the competition to begin.’

Louis is the first ever barber to have been shortlisted from the Isle of Man.

Now in its fifth year, the annual competition is run by industry watchdogs the British Barbers’ Association and male grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge

Finalists must impress judges on a number of criteria, including shave preparation, razor technique, post-shave routine, health and safety and overall efficiency.

Nick Gibbens, spokesperson for The Bluebeards Revenge, said: ’Each year we’re blown away by the level of talent out there, and this year we’ve had a record number of entries.

’What this shows is that competitions like this, along with the good work of the British Barbers’ Association, help to drive up standards in the barbering industry - that’s the overall objective.’