IF YOU'VE got it flaunt it, they say.
And when you have facial hair as impressive as James Dyer, it should be paraded on a wider stage.
The 37-year-old did just that when he competed in the British Beard and Moustache Championship – held in Bath on September 13 – and was only a whisker away from scooping the top prize.
Mr Dyer, of Croydon Road, Caterham, came second in the English Moustache section – a long pencil-thin creation which is shaved at the edges.
Vying against rivals from Sweden and Australia, his moustache was judged on size, quality and grooming before he clinched his runner-up trophy.
But his success did not come without plenty of preparation.
He explained: "It involves a whole lot of washing, conditioning and waxing each morning.
"I've got the waxing down to a fine art – only about 15 minutes each day – involving a combination of Vaseline and beeswax, one of which has a gorgeous melted marshmallow smell."
He dressed in eye-catching steam-punk style for the event, with pipes protruding from his headgear.
Mr Dyer, a call centre operator for Allianz Global Assistance in George Street, East Croydon, first grew a tache three years ago.
Having raised money for male cancer charities through Movember, he took it one step further and took part in the 2012 British championship.
His original growth was "more like Salvador Dali".
He said: "As it got longer it curled up and was almost poking me in the eye. That's when I decided on a thin English-style moustache."
Now he is champing at the bit to take part in the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Austria in October next year.
He added: "My partner Gina (Webb) would probably dump me if I ever removed it. And a local shopkeeper always calls out 'hallo Mr Moustache' when I pop in.
"One day I went to the shop without waxing it. When Gina called in later for a pint of milk the shopkeeper asked her 'was he OK? He looked terrible today'."
Mr Dyer is so proud of his facial hair that he has even given it is its own Facebook page, called Jimstash.
