Three bearded Bingley barmen have pledged not to cut their hair or shave their faces for three months to raise funds for a range of military charities.

Elliot Andrews, Mike Gray and Alex Jefferey, who all work at the Ferrands Arms, in Queen Street, took up the their own ‘Dirty Man’ challenge in January and have not touched a hair on their head or faces since.

Mr Andrews, the pub’s assistant manager, said they just wanted to do something different to help military charities and raise more than £500 for each one.

And the hirsute trio are collecting cash for Help for Heroes, the Parachute Regiment Charity and ABF The Soldier’s Charity.

Mr Andrews chose Help for Heroes as his charity and recently paid a visit to its northern Recovery Centre Phoenix House in Catterick, North Yorkshire, along with fellow beard-grower Mr Gray, who is raising money for the Paras’ charity.

Mr Andrews said: “I used to be in the Territorial Army for just short of three years and a lot of my friends have been deployed abroad and have been in touch with Help for Heroes.

“I never knew exactly what the charity did until I came to see Phoenix House. It’s an inspiring place.”

Mr Andrews said he had wanted to grow a beard for a while, so came up with a way to do it for charity.

“I grow facial hair very fast and it annoys me when it’s long so this is a big personal challenge for me,” he said.

Mr Gray, who was medically discharged from the Army during training, said many of the Ferrands Arms’ customers thought the challenge was a unique idea.

“We have buckets out at the pub and the different charities’ wrist bands available.

“I’m thinking of continuing the challenge for a further three months as my growth is a bit slow so far,” he said.

To sponsor the team, see their Just Giving pages at http://www.justgiving.com/alex-jeffery94; http://www.justgiving.com/mike-gray89; and http://www.justgiving. com/Elliot-Andrews.