FORMER Oxford barber Don Willis has died aged 75.

He was a popular barber who was well-known in Oxford after working at High Street Barbers and The Market Barber in the Covered Market.

Mr Willis, who grew up on the Sandhills estate, went to Sandhills Primary School before attending Gosford Hill School in Kidlington.

He met wife Ann 35 years ago and the couple tied the knot at Oxford Register Office 30 years ago.

For the past three decades they lived at their terraced home in Hollybush Row in the city centre.

After Mr Willis left school, he started work as an apprentice barber at a shop in Market Street, before taking a career break to complete his national service.

After leaving the Army, for a number of years he ran his own shop called Figaros near what is now the Clarendon Centre.

Former colleague Andy Willis, from Andy’s Barber Shop in Bicester, paid tribute to Mr Willis.

He said: “Even when Don retired six years ago he was still keen to give help, advice and pass on his experience.

“Don worked for me when I was the manager of The Market Barber.

“He was never late and was a very popular barber with a following of young and older clients until he retired.

“I opened my own salon in Bicester and he would regularly come and be seen at Andy’s Barber Shop in Bicester and help out in many ways.

“He would fix our clippers and do staff training on any new members of the team and just pass on his knowledge to my staff about men’s hairdressing.

“We would often go to watch Oxford United together and sit down and talk about football and barbering over a glass of beer. Don was no relation but a good friend and colleague and will be sadly missed but never forgotten.”

In his spare time, Mr Willis enjoyed working with model boats and launched a model boat club in Oxford in the late 1970s.

He became an expert in the world of radio-controlled model boats and enthusiasts from across the country would consult him.

Sometimes Mr Willis would travel abroad to race his model boats in competitions.

He died on April 28 and leaves behind his wife Ann. He also leaves Kevin, a son from his first marriage.

His daughter Dawn died two years ago.

Mr Willis, who is thought to have died after suffering a stroke, also leaves two step-daughters, Justine and Amanda, from his marriage to Ann, and four grandchildren.

His funeral was held on Tuesday at Oxford Crematorium.