A TOWN crier has "sacrificed the handlebars" of his trademark tash in a bid to raise awareness of men's mental health.

Chris Baglin, Holywell's town crier and the only one in Flintshire, is taking Movember down a different route to encourage people to think about how they can help the cause.

Movember, the annual event which sees millions of men growing moustaches to highlight men's mental health, is part of the campaign launched by the Movember Foundation which aims to change the face of the growing topic.

Suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 years in England and Wales, and campaigns such as Movember aim to reduce these statistics by ending the stigma around masculinity and mental health.

Chris, who goes by the name Professor Llusern as an entertainer at children's parties, has constantly sported a handlebar moustache as a trademark in his character.

But this year, instead of growing facial hair, Chris has decided to shave off his signature lip strip on November 1 and re-grow it as best as he can.

He said: "That's right - I thought the best way to get publicity was to sacrifice the old handlebars and perform a factory reset, so to speak.

"This year, Movember is not just about men's health, but also mental health in general. We don't talk enough about our problems due to a myriad of reasons including, but not limited to, stigma and appearing weak. This has to stop.

"Movember helps to highlight these issues in a fun way. I don't think you have to have a personal connection to an issue, apart from being a man, sometimes you have to help because you can. Having a notable brush is one thing people remember about me so I thought it's about time the thing earned it's keep."

Chris has also donned the phrase 'Tash-wedd,' a play on words for 'Tachwedd' which translates as November in Welsh.

To support Chris and his moustache, visit https://uk.movember.com/mospace/13755874