Pay homage to the hirsute male this summer at the Beard and Moustache European Championship in Italy.

Every year thousands bow to the bushy beard and hail the handlebar moustache as well-coiffured entrants wow their fans at this festival of facial hair.

Hosted on Campo Campidelli in Grottaglie, visitors can delight in the frenzy of waxing, washing, curling and combing as contestants vie for stubble stardom.

Moustache categories include the Dali, Hungarian, English and Chinese styles, while beards can be Garibaldi, Verdi or left wide open for artistic interpretation in the ominous-sounding "freestyle" event.

The town of Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula in the region of Puglia, in picturesque southern Italy.

The countryside is famed for its limestone ravines whose natural grottoes give the town its name. The 14th-century Castello Episcopio, which towers above the surrounds, is also well worth checking out.