SHE has overcome a Russian cyber attack that cost her salon around £28,000 in lost bookings.

Privately, hairdresser Ellen Conlin also battled breast cancer and is about to celebrate her10-year anniversary of good health.

But while there has been lows, there have been dramatic highlights in the 20 years she has run her successful Hyndland salon.

Over two decades, Ellen and co-owner, her husband Ken, have won a clutch of awards including best performing business and have attracted a who’s who of celebrity clients.

Read more: Is this Glasgow's youngest shop owner?

It was where Celtic legend Henrik Larsson had his trademark dreadlocks chopped off.

Current Celtic boss Neil Lennon has also popped in for a trim and Ellen is hoping that a certain Grammy and Brits winning Bathgate-born singer will pop in for cut, revealing that she's heard he's set to move into the neighbourhood.

Glasgow Times:

Ellen, 59, and her husband Ken, celebrated the salon’s milestone birthday on February 3 by taking all 15 staff out for a celebratory dinner at the Blythswood hotel.

She says: “I remember when we opened it was the Chinese New Year and someone upstairs sent a present down for us.

“It was the year of the rat and 20 years on, it’s the year of the rat. It’s funny how things work out.”

On Henrik’s dramatic hair make-over Ellen says the footballer made the bold decision himself.

She recalls: “I remember he had a skip cap on but unfortunately for him there was a journalist sitting next to him and she quickly got on the phone.

“When he left the salon, the paparazzi was waiting for him outside.

“He grabbed all the dreadlocks but left me one, which we framed and auctioned for a children charity. He was a very nice footballer, really unassuming.”

“The funny thing was, the stylist who cut his hair supported Rangers."

Glasgow Times:

“We also had Maciej Żurawski come in, who was the Celtic striker at the time. We also do quite a lot of the rugby players too.”

Ellen, who started working in the hairdressing industry when she was 13, says Neil Lennon was a “good laugh."

She says: “When he came in he said to me 'Ellen there’s a match on tomorrow and I don’t want the hair getting into my eyes.

“This is also hot off the press, a woman came in and said that Lewis Capaldi is moving in, round the corner so we are hoping he pops in.

“He needs a ‘doesn’t care’ hair cut’ because that’s his thing so I would maybe just texturise it a bit."

Glasgow Times:

The salon ended up making an appearance on the BBC One Show in 2015 after they were the victim of a dramatic cyber attack.

The couple were forced to pay 1,000 euros in bitcoins through a third party after its system was hacked, using a Russian email address.

Read more: Hyndland hairdresser Ellen Conlin has the answers for those not ready to embrace the grey

The hackers had locked its database and threatened to delete information and the incident led to an estimated £28,000 loss in bookings.

Ellen’s husband Ken says the incident left his wife in “in tears for a week.”

He says: “There was no threat to customer security but it was pretty horrific. I remember Kaye Adams lived across the road and she came in and said, Ken you are looking a bit down and then I told her. and she said ‘Oh, why don’t you come on the radio show.”

The secret to their longevity according to Ellen is “being passionate” about hairdressing.

She says: “If you aren’t passionate it shows in your hairdressing, the clients don’t get the best experience because it is an experience now and also keep training.

“Any downtime we have, we get the salon dolls out. What I want to do is the Billy Eilish look.

“Her hair colour is amazing. The way it’s sectioned, it’s brilliant. I’ve actually had the girls practise it.”