WHEN Claire Teague and her husband Mark decided to open a new shop it was a toss-up between fat fryers or hairdryers.

The couple already run two chip shops in Hampshire and initially thought the new premises would become their third.

But then Claire, 24, discovered she was expecting her first baby and they decided to think again.

"We saw the empty shop in Passfield Avenue (Eastleigh) near the leisure centre and thought it would make a great fish and chip shop.

"But then I discovered I was pregnant and I started to think about what else we could do. We put in for planning permission for the chip shop but were refused.

"So then we decided to open a hair and beauty salon," explained Claire, who is a trained beauty therapist.

Bella, named after their daughter, quite literally offers head to toe pampering as well as hi-tech treatments such as micro-dermabrasion and oxygen therapy.

Reflexology "As well as hair we also do nails, reiki, reflexology and even threading - the Asian method for eye brow shaping," she said.

Claire now divides her time between their Frying Fish chip shops in Alresford and Bishop's Waltham - and working in the beauty salon.

"I met Mark when I was 15 and I came to work in his parents fish and chips shop in Bishop's Waltham," she said.

"When I discovered I was expecting Bella, I couldn't wait to be a housewife and I was at home for nearly a year.

"But I got so bored I realised I had to go back to work. Now I've got two jobs but I'm loving it."

Claire and the beauty team at Bella are hosting an open evening on December 14 from 7pm.

"We will be doing demonstrations of some of the treatments so people can see what's involved.

"There will be mince pies, mulled wine and goody bags for everyone," she said.