One of the UK's last remaining neon sign makers is battling to keep the "endangered" craft alive. Julia Bickerstaff, 58, has crafted thousands of stunning neon signs for homes since she began her career in 1987.
Her work has even been showcased on the Discovery Plus TV show Salvage Hunters: The Restorers and she has created signs for big names like Disneyland Paris. However, Julia has said that people are now opting for LED lights, which mimic neon signs, over the real deal - putting the craft at risk.
She explained: "Traditionally, everything was lit with neon - even if you didn't know it. But today, neon making is actually an endangered craft, which is kind of sad really.
"But it's the way things go and technology has advanced. There are some simpler technologies to install it, neon is made of glass and LED lights are not and are quite rugged. But neon being glass, is quite fragile.
"LEDs can also mimic neon - even though they aren't neon and there is a little bit of a battle where neon is being sidelined by LED signage. They are sold as neon signing when they are not."
Based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Julia honed her skills as an apprentice. She begins with an empty glass tube, shaping it by hand using a flame, before injecting different colours into the sign using gases and powder coatings.
This process can take anywhere from a week to several months, depending on the size of the sign. She shared: "I've made massive installations - we did all the neon for Disneyland Paris years ago and we looked after Piccadilly Circus.
"I also do commissions for people, for things in their house so I've done a beautiful, leaping fox for someone's kitchen. It's glass and that lasts forever, unless it gets broken.
"So there's something quite magical and you have this delicate piece."
