The owner of a hair salon has been issued with fines totalling £27,000 after remaining open during the current lockdown, a council has said.

Kirklees Council said the actions of Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, in Oakenshaw, near Bradford, were “selfish and irresponsible”.

The council said the salon had been issued with a notice to close and a fixed penalty notice on November 9 and had since been issued with fines for each day it continued trading.

A spokeswoman said the owner was issued with a £1,000 fine on November 9, a £2,000 fine on November 12, a £4,000 fine on November 21, and two £10,000 fines on November 23 and 24.

She said the council was now “exploring alternative action”.

A post on the Quinn Blakey Hairdressing Instagram account on November 5 reads: “Lockdown Day 1. I earned this week’s rent today, not sure where I would be pulling that money from given the Government want self-employed business people to wait six weeks for a payment.

“I still have mortgage, bills, childcare fees, food, car, insurance etc, not to mention the overheads for the shop.

“If we give up now, I can categorically guarantee your small businesses will not survive this lockdown – given it’s not going to be four weeks.

“Like I said before, this is more than just having a business and an income, this is my children’s future and that’s more important to me than anything.”

A number of videos posted on the page show the owner of the salon speaking to council and police officers through the locked door of the shop.

She is heard telling them she does “not consent” to being fined and that she is “standing under common law”.

One council officer tells the woman the authority could get a warrant to close down the salon if she continued to operate during lockdown restrictions.

On Tuesday, the owner posted a photograph and footage of a police car parked near her shop, with the comment “police stalking me now”.

In a statement, the council spokeswoman said the authority understood how difficult it had been for businesses and it would continue to support them through this “devastating period”, but added that everyone must follow Covid-19 rules and guidance.

She said: “The law set by the Government is there so we can bring infection rates down, ease pressure on our health services and save lives.

“But it only works if we all stick to it and realise that no-one is above the law. Frankly, the actions taken by this business are selfish and irresponsible.

“We will not hesitate to take action on anyone who breaches the rules that are in place to keep us all safe. Repeated breaches of Covid-19 regulations result in ever-increasing fines up to £10,000 and eventually prosecution.”

The council said Kirklees has the fifth highest rate of infection in the country, with 135 people admitted to hospital last week and 25 Covid-19-related deaths.

Quinn Blakey Hairdressing has been contacted for comment.