THE boss of a hairdressers knew exactly what to do when he arrived early at his salon to find a trainee's dirty underwear swishing away in the company washing machine.

He hung them out to dry - boxer shorts and all - on a historic monument for all the town to see.

When the trainee, who lives in a flat above the Saks salon in Barnard Castle, County Durham, opened his curtains, he got the shock of his life. He spotted his smalls blowing in the wind and hanging from the Market Cross.

Boss Simon Folkes said: "I'm usually the first to come in, and when I arrived in the morning I went in the dispensary to find the towels had been left on the floor.

"Then, I opened the machine to see that not only had the towels been left out, but there was a load of male clothing in the machine too."

Being situated across from the landmark was too good an opportunity for the mischievous staff to miss.

Mr Folkes said: "I thought 'we'll teach him a lesson and make sure the first thing he sees when he opens his curtains is his pants'."

Fellow trainee Laura Fenwick said: "We do sometimes play jokes on each other, but never anything like this."

The trainee, who will remain anonymous, did not wish to comment, but The Northern Echo understands his position at the salon is - unlike his smalls - not on the line.