Santa-lookalike and chair of Stratford and Bidford Darby and Joan Club, Allen King, raised £270 for club charity

‘Santa’ was shorn of his beard and locks when Allen King got the snip all for a good cause.

Chair and treasurer at the Stratford and Bidford Darby and Joan Club, Allen raised £270 for the club, half of which will go towards funding trips for the club and the rest will help support the work of the Royal Voluntary Service.

“I like to do my bit to help. The RVS help ward off loneliness and the club is very social, the money will help with that,” said Allen, who turns 80 in June and lives in Bidford. “My hair and beard have been growing for five or six months - I normally cut it myself - I don’t think I’ve had it professionally cut since 1967.”

He told the Herald: “I’ve enjoyed it although it’s been very itchy - especially at the start.”

Allen’s resemblance to the magical man from the North Pole has not gone unnoticed.

“I was shopping at Aldi the other week and I passed a little lad who was only about three - he turned to his mum, ‘Mum, I’ve just seen Father Christmas!’ - so of course I had to say hello to him.”

The charity hair-grow was the idea of club administrator Elizabeth Folkes. She arranged for hairdresser Julie Bell to shear Allen at the club’s weekly meeting at Bidford Methodist Hall last Thursday in front of much-amused members and his son and daughter. Everyone joined in heckling the affable Allen as his fluffy white tresses tumbled to the floor.

Amazingly the Bidford-based club was founded by Allen’s mum and her nine sisters 70 years ago this year.

Elizabeth explained: “During the war and just after the Women’s Voluntary Service (later known as the Royal Voluntary Service) set up the Darby and Joan clubs where you could meet people in a non-challenging social. It was for everyone - mothers, fathers, children, and spouses - many of whom had been bereaved during the war. The whole ethos is to keep people happy.

“Our club was set up the Edkins sisters. There were ten of them - one of which was Allen’s mum. The last sister died a couple of years ago.”

The club is planning celebrations to mark its 70th in May.