DESPITE the summer weather, one Bovey Tracey man is feeling a little less hot-headed this week, and it’s all in a good cause.

Jon Phillips has had his impressive locks and beard shaved off as part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Brave the Shave campaign.

The retired policeman said: ‘I’ve always had short hair but during the first lockdown I decided to just let it grow out. Apart from a couple of tidy-ups it’s the longest I’ve gone between proper haircuts.

‘Three years later I felt it was time to have it all cut off.’

Initially Jon, 57, considered donating it to the Little Princess Trust which provides human hair wigs for children who have lost their hair after undergoing chemotherapy.

‘However, I didn’t think any little girl would want my grey grizzled hair. As my wife Julie and I knowfamily and friends who have suffered cancer, Macmillan was the obvious choice.’

So at a recent evening Jon found himself in the hot seat at Bovey Tracey’s Dartmoor Distillery.

Friends were able to donate to his collection page to buy the right to hack away at him with scissors and shears.

He was a bit worried at looking a mess at the end but fortunately professional hairdresser Tracey Wright was on hand and able to finesse the amateur efforts.

While the haircut was the highlight of the night, further money was raised by a quiz and raffle.

‘I’d like to thank everyone who contributed,’ Jon said. ‘And special thanks must go to Greg and Karen of the Dartmoor Distillery. They provided the venue for the night and also donated a bottle of their whisky for the raffle.’

Initially Jon set a target of £300 but that has been surpassed and is now heading towards the £2,000 mark. 

► The Brave the Shave campaign is still running. Anyone wanting to contribute can do so by going online to www.bravetheshave.macmillan.org.uk and searching for Jonathan Phillips.