AN INTREPID trio of Sherston men have raised more than £1,200 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance by being half cut.

Eric Thacker, Chris McGuigan and PaulOrmiston, who are all members of Sherston 1016, spent a week with half-shaved beards and moustaches.

It was the first time for normally clean-shaven graphic designer Paul. He said: "It was strange because a lot of adults didn't notice or at least they made out they hadn't noticed. But I got a great reaction from the children."

He admitted he tended to hide away from his customers if he could during the week, but on one day he had to go up to London. "I was in Islington at one point and I don't think anyone noticed because I was the least weird out of all the people there."

However his wife Sue was pleased to see the back of his half beard at the end of the week.

The men and a team of volunteers toured packed pubs in the area during Badminton week collecting for the air ambulance.

One of the organisers, Richard Langley explained: "Sherston is away from the major roads a little bit and we are aware that ordinary ambulances can take a while to get to us.

"And we choose Badminton week because of the air ambulance's significance. It is used when riders are injured."

He said the pubs were filled with people going to the famous three-day event and no one turned the volunteers down when they arrived with their buckets.