HIRSUTE Essex man Frazer Coppin is celebrating this week after winning first prize in the musketeer category of the inaugural British Beard and Moustache Championships.
Frazer and a hairy horde of competitors from across the UK descended on Brighton on Saturday to take part in the event which was organised by the British Beard Club and The Handlebar Club.
Dozens of dashing gents sporting facial hair of all kinds entered 12 specialist categories, which included English moustache, natural goatee, beard freestyle and sideburns.
A number of Essex competitors entered the contest but Frazer came top of the pile, declared the top musketeer by the judges.
"It was a nice feeling to win, but I would have been just as happy with second or third place," said the 53-year-old gardener from Rivenhall, near Witham. "It was nice to see so many hairy faces and lots of fellow bearded Essex chaps too," added Frazer, a competition veteran who claimed the musketeer world title in 2007.
Out of the rest of the Essex contingent, Charles Saville, of Great Tey, won second place in the freestyle beard category, Joe Elgie, of Chelmsford, took second place in the natural goatee, Andrew Casson, of Romford, took third place in the natural goatee and Guy Dinwiddy, of Bishops Stortford, took second place in the sculptured beard section.
As well as a competitor, Frazer is a founder of the British Beard Club and helped organise the championships.
He was heartened by the positive response to the event.
He said: "It was a roaring success. We're all just one big, hairy family."
