Daredevil reporter DAN KEEL was given the chop in a guillotine in August. But after some emergency surgery and a summer break, he was back in action, and for this dare he was the one wielding the blades.

DOCTOR, doctor my hair keeps falling out, can you give me anything to keep it in?............ Yes, of course, here is a paper bag.

Armed with jokes like these and sense of fun and adventure I made my way to Ultimate Hair & Beauty in Blackfen, eager to try my hand in the world of hairdressing.

However, I should add that going bald is no laughing matter. Those of you who witnessed the Dan Dares guillotine video will have seen hair-loss in your 20s is a depressing and unattractive condition.

But this challenge, organised by L'Oreal, was not about my hair - It was about Lisa Reynolds'.

She was the brave and foolish victim who stepped forward and volunteered for a colour, wash and blow-dry at the hands of someone whose idea of a haircut is to look in the mirror and chop away with some kitchen scissors.

My start was not good. I mumbled my way through a terrible consultation and sounded more like a poor nervous restaurant waiter wielding a hair colour chart than a bubbly and competent hairdresser.

Next, after getting my wrist slapped for referring to hair dye as 'paint', I provoked a panic from manager Katie Meades after lodging my hairbrush between the chair and the customer's back.

I was swiftly relegated to hair-sweeping and tea-making duties before getting my hands dirty with the paint. After applying the hair dye (painting the hair with a paint brush) it was time to wash it off in the sink.

News Shopper: DAN DARES: Reporter fails miserably in barber challenge

This was when the chemistry between my client and I really started to develop. As I stood behind her gently massaging her scalp and calmly running warm water over her hair, she whispered what I thought was "Mmmmm, you smell nice."

After attributing the alluring odour to my Brut aftershave I discovered she had been complimenting the conditioner.

But, red-faced, the dare continued and after dropping hairdryers, combs, scissors and shower heads, Katie swooped in to relieve me of my blow-drying duties before I left poor Lisa looking like Russell Brand.

News Shopper: DAN DARES: Reporter fails miserably in barber challenge

She left the salon looking fantastic - but sadly I cannot take the credit. I am certainly no Edward Scissorhands.

To watch a video of Dan's hairdressing exploits along with his previous dares, visit newsshopper.co.uk/news/dandares

After 10 challenges, here is Dan's record:

1. Cream cracker eating world record - FAILED

2. Finding five Dan Keels - FAILED

3. Half-marathon with two weeks training - PASSED

4. Eating hottest curry in Bromley - PASSED

5. Wing-walking on an aeroplane - PASSED

6. Shopper to the seaside spending no money - PASSED

7. Spanish GCSE knowing no Spanish - PASSED

8. Rubik's Cube challenge - FAILED

9. Head chopped off in guillotine - PASSED

10. Hairdressing challenge - FAILED

News Shopper: DAN DARES: Reporter fails miserably in barber challenge