If an Ashford parliamentary candidate comes knocking on your front door on election day asking if he/she can count on your vote there’s a very simple way of politely getting rid of them.

All you need to say is: “Sorry, no can do, I’m washing my hair.”

And the reason that’s a valid excuse is that Ashford is the hairdressing capital of Kent.

The town centre has an incredible 22 hairdressing salons and barber shops.

Wherever you look in the High Street, Lower High Street, Bank Street, New Rents and the County Square shopping centre, there’s someone clipping away with scissors, running a razor across someone’s head or... washing a customer’s hair.

There are seven hairdressers or barbers in Bank Street alone - two more than the number of parliamentary candidates vying to become Ashford’s next MP.