Railway building, symphathetically restored, is given a new lease of life as a beauty centre.

Mistley station house has been given a new lease of life, re-opening as The Station Hair and Beauty.

The house is on the platform at Mistley Station, on the Harwich line, and customers hear the trains pass by.

It is now the home for hairdresser Jessica Wilson and her growing team of stylists and beauticians.

Ms Wilson and her partner Glynne Gerrard, an interior consultant, restored the Grade II listed building, which had been empty and boarded-up for over four years.

Her former business was called The Shed, operating from a shed at her home.

Miss Wilson said: “It was a big decision to take on the Station House but I needed more space as I was turning bookings away at home.

“People who come along say they love the interior and the fact we have managed to retain the period features in a luxurious way. We can now offer so much more to our customers.”

Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia’s asset management director, said: “This is a great example of how some inspiration and dedication can bring a disused station building right back into the heart of the community. There are many more rooms like this at stations across our network available for both great small businesses like this and for community groups and I would urge anyone who has an idea for a project to get in touch.”