FATHER Christmas might not be the only one sporting a white beard spotted in Barnard Castle this month as one businessman has set himself an unusual challenge to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK.

Zak Ahmed, owner of Spice Island Restaurant, is taking part in Decembeard which involves growing a beard for the whole month in exchange for donations.

But the 31-year-old is going one step further and says he will dye his beard white if he can raised £500 by December 23.

“I took part in Movember and have always had the fashionable stubble but this is the first time I have done anything like this,” Mr Ahmed said.

“It’s definitely a talking point because I have never had a beard so customers think it’s odd when they come in.”

Mr Ahmed began growing his beard in July as a personal challenge but said he knew he wanted to take part in Decembeard when he heard about it as he knew people who had been affected by the disease.

“Where I work there have been two people affected by cancer, one of my uncles had bowel cancer and another one of our chefs died of liver cancer so we are just trying to raise awareness of it,” he added.

“Unfortunately no one else at work can grow a beard so it’s a good laugh and everyone has a joke about it.”

Mr Ahmed has already raised about £100 for the charity which has a goal of hitting £250,000 so they can support more people affected by the disease which is the UK’s second biggest cause of cancer deaths.

Fellow Barnard Castle businessman, Simon Folkes, of Saks, has already agreed to carry out the transformation if Mr Ahmed reaches his goal.

To sponsor Mr Ahmed visit www.justgiving.com/zak-ahmed/or text 'ZAKS55' with the amount, eg '£2', to 70070.