A man who moved to the UK from Kurdistan as a teenager and went into foster care aged 17 has opened his dream barbershop after saving around £20,000 while supporting his wife and child.

Zanko Dleri arrived in Britain not speaking English and went straight into foster care. He then managed to work his way up as an apprentice barber, taking jobs near Reading before moving to Leeds and then Sheffield.

After saving money while supporting a wife and child, the now 25-year-old managed to purchase Baran Barber S10 in Crookes earlier this year.

Speaking about his background Mr Dleri said: “I left my family in Kurdistan, at just 17, because of issues back home.

“When I first got here I grew up in foster care. It was so tough for me and the family as I didn’t speak English and I spent a lot of time on my own.

“I didn’t even get to see my parents for ages until I could get my right to remain, it wasn’t easy, however that time made me the man I am today.”

After leaving foster care Mr Dleri spent time working as an apprentice barber near Reading, before moving up to Leeds.

He said: “Me and my wife have been saving money for ages, we want to have a better life in the future and to be able to spend time raising our children.

“When I was working for somebody else, I would work 12 hours a day and have no time left to spend with my family.

“Buying the shop for £20k is a huge risk, these are my life savings and everything I’ve worked for, we have put everything we have into this shop and sacrificed everything for it.”

Discussing what he aims to change about the shop, Mr Dleri said: “When I came to this country I was by myself, I was broke and I was skint.

“This is why I want to change the prices, why I want to make it so cheap, because I understand students and the position some of them are in.

“I wanted to get my hair done when I was younger and I couldn’t afford it, I still remember that time and I never want a young person to go through that.”