A MYSTERY poet who has been sowing confusion, bemusement and amusement across the UK by sending handwritten poems to hair salons has struck in Keighley district.

At least three local salons – one in Keighley and two in Cross Hills – have received the poems in the post, both signed by a 'Mark Jones'.

They are only the latest outlets to experience the bizarre, whimsical but harmless unsolicited missives, which have previously also been sent to hair salons in Huddersfield, Hartlepool and Leyland, as well as hairdressers in North and South West Wales.

The baffling literary phenomenon has been going on for at least five years, though this is the first time hairdressers in the Keighley area are known to have been on the receiving end of the writer's efforts.

All the poems have so far been handwritten and feature white lettering on black paper, apparently sent from somewhere in Lancashire.

They end with the words: "Keep your chin up, keep smiling."

Allure salon, in Devonshire Street, Keighley; The Hair Shop in Main Street Cross Hills; and Gillian's, also in Main Street, Cross Hills, have all received playful, mildly romantic poems from this enigmatic author.

Emma Garside and Tiffany Corcoran, who both work at Allure, said the salon's owner, Danielle Buckley, was mystified to receive a poem about a singing robin last Thursday.

Miss Garside said: "I popped in on Thursday and Danielle said, 'look at this, we've had a poem posted to us'.

"She checked on the Internet and found out other hair salons have also been getting these."

Miss Corcoran said: "I just thought it was a bit freaky at first.

"I'd love to know who this person is and why he or she is doing it. And why are they sending these poems only to hair salons?

"Some salons have been getting more than one of these poems, so I wonder if we'll get any more?"

Liz Clayton owns The Hair Shop, which was yesterday due to move from its old base at 31 Main Street in Cross Hills to new premises down the road at number 67.

She said her colleague received an identical poem to that posted to Gillian's and Allure last Wednesday.

"She phoned me up to tell me about it and I thought she was crackers until I saw the poem for myself," she added.

"It is a nice poem but it is a bit strange. I don't know what to make of it."