A BOURNEMOUTH hairdresser involved in a "rancorous" trade war with his former boss has told the Echo how it's business as usual following a feud ending in the High Court.

Stewart Scott, 35, had run a salon in Leicester before working as a stylist in premises run and owned by Ashleigh Harford from May 2006.

The court heard how Mr Scott had left following a "falling out" between the two men earlier this year.

Trouble flared after Mr Scott set up his own salon in Christchurch Road, Boscombe East - the same street in which his ex-boss runs his business.

Mr Harford claimed Mr Scott had poached some of his best clients and breached a contract banning him from setting up a rival salon within a quarter of a mile and from "soliciting custom" from former clients.

He insisted Mr Scott had resigned followed a row over working hours and, in a story straight out of BBC drama Cutting it, got an injunction to stop Mr Scott working.

But Judge Guy Mansfield QC ruled that Mr Scott had never signed the contract and been wrongfully dismissed.

He added that the interim injunction had been granted "on the back of a woeful lack of evidence" and overturned it, leaving Mr Scott free to carry on with his business and landing Mr Harford with a large legal bill.

Both men gave evidence at the High Court hearing.

While the judge described Mr Scott's evidence as "sensible, dignified and reasoned", he said Mr Harford had been "a most unsatisfactory witness" with "a rather excitable and erratic personality", adding: "He was desperate to put the defendant out of business."

Speaking in his salon after the case, Mr Scott said: "It all started when I questioned Ashleigh over working hours. It was an issue because I was also a mobile hairdresser in the evenings and at weekends. He verbally attacked me and I went home.

"When I went back to work he said: There's your stuff' and that was the end of my job so I decided to venture out on my own again."

Mr Scott's SO Hairdressing salon opened on May 23 this year.

"Ashleigh wrote to me saying I was in breach of my contract of employment but I had never signed anything so I told him I was free to set up my business wherever I liked. It was ludicrous.

"But he took out an injunction and I was forced to close on July 4.

"For the next four weeks I couldn't trade, which meant cancelling appointments. I had invested my savings in the salon and took legal advice."

Mr Scott's salon reopened on August 1. He said: "It all backfired on Ashleigh who had become obsessed with me opening my salon.

"I'm now making a claim for loss of business, legal costs and unfair dismissal. Ashleigh's salon is a quarter of a mile away. This is a busy area and I have my own clients.

"Fortunately I kept my cool because I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong and the judge agreed.

"Now I just want to put it all behind me. Despite what's happened I've no bad feelings towards Ashleigh. The last few months have been a bit of a roller-coaster and I just want to concentrate on making my business a success."

Mr Harford declined to comment on the case.