Two years ago Joseph Smith was making electrical motors for the mining industry.

But he always dreamed of doing something that couldn’t be more different ... and now that’s became a reality as he’s just opened his own hair salon.

The former welder and fabricator has launched the House of Smith salon in Scholes, Cleckheaton, to complete the unusual job switch.

To get into the new role he studied for an apprenticeship at Bradford College while working at Krystal’s Hair and Beauty in Cleckheaton.

Joseph, 26, said: “It feels brilliant to have my own place. There has been a lot of hard work to get here but it has been worth it.

“I am so excited to start growing the business now.

“I spent four-and-a-half years as a fabricator welder and then production engineer and it was a good job but I had always styled friends’ hair and had the desire to make that my career.”

The salon on Scholes Lane, which is in the former bridal shop, Elegance, has been decorated in an “old-school British” style and includes beauty treatment rooms as well as the main hair salon.

While he intends to do all the cutting, colouring and styling of hair by himself, initially, he hopes to take on an apprentice of his own eventually.

Joseph, of Bierley, said: “I am a big fan of the apprenticeship system. You can’t beat experience in the workplace.”