Here's some real facial hair

HAIRY-FACED gentlemen from all over Europe met in Worthing last weekend to celebrate their upper-lip appendages.

Around 30 hirsute members of international moustache organisation The Handlebar Club gathered for their annual meeting at The Berkeley Hotel last Friday evening.

Findon man Mike Solomons, 66, is the club's vice president.

He said: "The idea is that various moustaches get together for a social weekend. We had about 30 moustaches come over to have a few beers. We had a wonderful time."

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The group took a day trip to Portsmouth's historic dockyard on Saturday before returning to the hotel for a club dinner and raffle in the evening

"Moustaches are making a comeback," said Mr Solomons. "What we want is for David Beckham to grow a large moustache and then the whole world will grow one."

The Handlebar Club was set up in 1947 by 10 founder members, including comedian Jimmy Edwards and comedy writer Frank Muir.

The club's original stated intention was "to bring together moustache wearers (beards being strictly prohibited) socially for sport and general conviviality."

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It also became a dedicated champion of charities, notably children's causes and charities devoted to ex-servicemen.

The club now has around 130 members spread across nine countries.

The World Beard and Moustache Championships will make their British debut in 2007 when they grace Brighton and Hove.

More than 300 competitors will be able to battle it out in categories including handlebar, English or Dali moustaches or Garibaldi, Verdi or goatee beards.

But ladies should not feel they are being totally left out of proceedings. As Mr Solomons says: "Kissing a man without a moustache is like eating beef without mustard."