Wow! It was like Pride for the facially furry of the world. A biennial event for beard and moustache wearers all over the planet. I'm pretty sure this was it’s first time in the UK, and by 'eck it was hirsute heaven.

From mid-morning onwards, Bartholomew Square outside Brighton Town Hall was awash with men with extraordinary facial hair, and their admirers. Yeah ok, and lots of slack-jawed tourists and locals who couldn’t believe their eyes.

As well as general hanging about admiring each other, there was a Morris dancing demonstration, which the championships entrants were then encouraged to join in with. All this before the parade even began.

I’m guessing about 150 chaps walked through the Lanes to the Brighton Centre where the serious business of judging and awards was to take place late into the evening. There were significant numbers of Germans, Norwegians, Swedish, Americans and of course good old Brits, not to mention some of the hairier local boys who’d come out to enjoy the spectacle.

If you’ve ever though about a beard or tache give it a go, as the old song goes “lots of guys love a fella with a bush upon his mush”!