A BEAUTY salon owner whose livelihood was raided twice by thieves in under a month has spoken of the massive impact the crimes have had on her.

Karen Elliott, owner of Revive and Rejuvenate, in South Street, Keighley, said the experience has left her feeling unsafe in her own salon.

“It’s just been a nightmare,” she said.

“You get so disheartened. I’ve worked so hard to build my business up from nothing and some low-lifes think they can come and take what they want.”

Mrs Elliott, who lives in the Parkwood are of the town and has had her beauty business for nearly six years, said the first burglary was in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, July 8.

Her son, who lives near the salon, was alerted to the damage by a neighbour later that morning and contacted his mother.

She arrived to find the thieves had battered their way through the property’s front door, ransacked the salon, then made off with a box of cash, a laptop and a nail lamp.

“There was glass everywhere, and we were here till 4pm on the Sunday cleaning up glass and getting the front door boarded up,” she said.

“I was particularly worried about the glass because I’m a child friendly business and I do have children in here walking around with no shoes on.”

She had her security upgraded, only for the salon to be hit again at 3.30am on August 1.

Her son heard the alarm but by the time he reached the business the raiders had already left, having smashed their way through the reinforced front door.

This time they again took the cash box, but also stole a charity box containing donations for Manorlands, as well as about 20 bottles of perfume.

Mrs Elliott said: “They’d been and gone within about three minutes, and they seemed to know exactly what they were after.

“I’ve had CCTV installed, a new alarm, a new grille for the door and I’m looking into getting shutters.

“I’m panicking all the time now, and when I’m at home I’m always on my phone checking the camera footage to make sure everything is alright.

“I’m a sole trader trying to run a business, but this has cost me a fortune.

“I like being here and I don’t want to move.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman responded: “The first burglary was on July 8 between 3.30am and 6.30am. Suspects appear to have entered through the front door taking cash and cosmetics.

“The second burglary was on August 1 between 2.30am and 3.30am. The suspects entered again through the front door and taken cash and electrical items. Anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity around the location at these times is asked to contact Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team on 101, or use the live chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website. Information can also be reported anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”