Probe on salons cheque con

The adverts for "good hair day" (ghd) straightening irons boast that they are a "new religion" for all those hair obsessives out there who simply want to look good.

But one follower of the in-vogue fashion faith seems to have something resembling a rather ungodly approach.

Police are investigating after seven hair salons across Wolverhampton were targeted by a man they suspect is buying top hair equipment with a dodgy cheque book.

A well-dressed gent has been seen wandering into each salon and buying limited edition Mk 4 pink straighteners, which retail at £120 and are expected to be one of the biggest selling gifts this Christmas.

Where the salons are based in Wolverhampton, and how much prestige each one has, doesn't seem to matter to this particular opportunist, who has included a well-known celebrity hairdressing duo in his list of targets.

Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko, who run an award-winning salon in Bridgnorth Road, Compton, was just one of the venues where the popular product was 'bought'.

Their salon, which charges gents £20 for a basic cut, has cut the hair of stars like Jordan, Kerry Katona, Jennifer Ellison and Rachel Hunter – and used straighteners on them.

Mr Blythe said: "Apparently ghd's have been bought in seven salons by the same man, and cheques have bounced.

"A man came into us and bought two pairs, which is unusual. He paid by cheque but we did not cash it. The police came to see us the other day and have taken the cheque away."

The star snipper added: "Ghd's are very popular and very good, but they are marketed very well, which makes them one of the big sellers."

Evergreen hairdressers in Claregate, which also sells the pink straighteners, have been warned by cops to be aware of the conman.

Rachel Astbury, spokeswoman for West Midlands Police, said: "We can confirm that we have had a call from a hair salon and are investigating this incident.

"A lot of inquiries are being made to see if the cheques are definitely fraudulent at this stage."