MEN around the county heaved a sigh of relief, and dug out their razors yesterday, as they were finally able to shave off their facial hair.

Hundreds of Oxfordshire chaps joined the ranks of Tom Selleck and X-Factor’s Wagner as the owners of impressive moustaches, for ‘Movember’, an event to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity.

Among those involved was Mike Reading, headteacher at the Oxford Academy, in Littlemore, who was joined by other staff at the school.

Mr Reading said: “About a dozen members of staff grew moustaches for November.

“We thought it was important to celebrate such a worthwhile charity, as we all know people who have been affected by prostate cancer.

“We also thought it was important to show the pupils that staff members were able to let their guard down for charity.”

Mr Reading said his own facial hair had been a big hit with pupils, but said the teachers were unlikely to keep their new look.

He said: “My wife has made me promise never to do it again.

“And one of my colleagues was told he wasn’t allowed to grow a moustache; he had to grow a beard instead.”

In Bicester, four members of the town’s Round Table – Matt Fincham, Phil Healy, Andy Bennett and Andy Grose have also been sporting moustaches for a month.

Two of the group have a more personal reason for raising cash for the charity, as their fathers had the disease.

Mr Fincham, 43, said: “My dad, Alan, was in remission from prostate cancer, but he passed away from lymphoma two years ago, aged 73. Prostate cancer affects a lot of men. The reason the four of us grew our moustaches was to raise awareness and have a bit of fun.”

Fellow tabler Mr Healy lost both parents, John and Pauline, to cancer in 18 months.

He said: “In January 2008 after quite a long battle with prostate cancer my father died.

“Sadly,while we were so focused on my father we didn’t notice mum had become ill.”

The idea for Movember started in Australia in 2004. It has since become a worldwide phenomenon – last year 255,755 people took part, raising £26m worldwide.