A High Wycombe man raised more than £1,000 for a cancer charity, smashing his £600 target, by growing his beard for more than a year.

Del Grou, 44, who is originally from Marlow, decided he was going to grow his beard last January for Cancer Research, after three members of his family – his wife, brother and aunt – were diagnosed with the disease.

He also lost his sister, Helen, to a heart condition and father-in-law to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) in 2015.

His brother, Keith, was told he had bladder cancer in December 2015 and wife Maria was diagnosed with breast cancer last year – she is now receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and will have to be on tablets for 10 years following the treatment.

Mr Grou said: “I decided I’d had enough and decided to grow my beard. It helped take my mind off things – there was so much going on.”

He aimed to raise £600 for Cancer Research, which quickly rose and has now hit £1,185 – 197 per cent of his target – before shaving his beard off.

He added: “My family initially couldn’t believe I would do it but they are now very proud.

“I do miss my beard, especially as it’s winter – I miss the warmth – but I don’t miss looking after it.”