Barber 'proud' for spotting cancer lump on teen

Firat Davutoglu works at MG Turkish Barbers on Corve Street in Ludlow

A Shropshire barber has said he is "proud" of himself for spotting a lump on a customer's head that turned out to be cancer.

Firat Davutoglu, who works at MG Turkish Barbers on Corve Street in Ludlow, spotted a lump on 17 year-old Owen's neck when cutting his hair.

Owen got it checked and was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma - an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system - from which he is now in remission.

"We can see our face, we can see our chest, we can see our arms, but we can't see our heads, our neck," said Mr Davutoglu.

"If you're a regular customer, you know him, you know his skin, you have a good memory… if there's something different you can notice and raise it.

Cancer is close to home for Mr Davutoglu, which made the situation even more emotional.

"I just first remembered my mum, because we found her cancer at the last step, we couldn't do anything."

Owen's mum, Hayley (left), Owen, and Teenage Cancer Trust nurse Becky Salisbury (right)

He described the moment he spotted the lump to BBC Radio Shropshire.

"I just saw the neck was not straight, the right side was a bit swollen, I just asked him what is it, he said 'I don't know'".

"He's a regular customer, that's why we talk."

Mr Davutoglu told Owen to go to the doctor, and said the teenager was nervous because he did not know it was there.

"He didn't come for around five, six months - I didn't see him," he said.

"One night, we shut the shop and then he's come with his dad. I told him, 'Sorry we're closed', and he said, 'No, we didn't come for a haircut, we came for thanks'."

"100% I am proud of that," Mr Davutoglu added.

He said, at that time, Owen had lost his hair from chemotherapy, but that it has since grown back and he remains a customer.