JOHN and Katy Allen are literally high-flying hairdressers.

Not wanting to let their clients down after emigrating to Spain 16 years ago, the couple regularly return to their Yeadon salon to style hair - and now they are using their scissor skills and expertise offering hair cuts to the homeless.

Their involvement in the charity community group Haircuts4homelessuk - set up by London hairdresser, Stewart Roberts - began after the couple started supporting hairdressing charities through Akito Scissors, the scissor brand they established in 2008.

With the couple's help, Haircuts4homelessuk recently launched at St George’s Crypt in Leeds and John and Katy hope to eventually bring it to Bradford.

“The idea is to build a community of hairdressers. Katy and I are not always here,” said John, referring their time at their Spanish home in Andalusia giving them the best of both worlds.

Their aim is to build a team of hairdressers who could devote as much time as they are able to offer haircuts for the homeless.

“Even if it is two hours every two months, it doesn’t matter if we have a big enough team,” adds John.

The couple have already put out an appeal for hairdressers through hairdressing forums.

Another impetus for the couple to get involved was seeing the number of homeless women on the streets during a trip out in Leeds.

The couple had flown home to catch up with their three children, who are all now living and working back in the UK.

John recalls how shocked they were at the number of homeless women on the streets while out with their family in Leeds.

“We have been very lucky in life. We have grafted and worked hard but Katy and I have always believed there are certain times in your life to give something back," said John.

"Seeing those people living on the streets six months ago was a bit of a shock and if we can deliver it [Haircuts4homelessuk] in Leeds and maybe Bradford, job’s a good ‘un,” said John.

Mr Roberts launched Haircuts4homelessuk in November 2014 after he saw details of a similar scheme in America on Facebook.

“It registered in my mind,” said Mr Roberts.

The 54-year-old, who has been clean for ten years following his own alcohol dependency, was attending a Sober Living Action Group he is involved with at the Salvation Army in his home town of Romford when he saw some homeless people.

Stewart decided the next time he attended the meeting he would arrive early and take his scissors.

"I did the first session, six or eight haircuts,” he recalls.

Noticing the benefits it was bringing, Mr Roberts asked if he could have a table and take his equipment to make it a regular service.

Eventually other hairdressers joined in. “And before I knew it we had five sites on the go,” recalls Mr Roberts.

Word-of-mouth was soon spreading through social media enabling Stewart to expand his volunteer base. Ilford followed Romford, then Chelmsford, Southend and Brighton.

“We got a formula going, find the area, get the volunteers, the centre whether it be the Salvation Army or a Day Centre and get the volunteers and set up,” he explained.

Leeds is the 23rd area to become involved and the service is based at St George’s Crypt.

“It is a fantastic facility - it has been going since the 1930s. It is an amazing place and it has a nice spiritual aspect to it because of it being an old church,” said Mr Roberts.

Now his ambition is to roll the project out across the UK.

"Early on the idea was that it wasn’t my project, it becomes everyone’s project.

"I saw it as a happy virus hitting the cities first and then it satellites out to communities."