IT'S taken years off him - and helped raise vital funds to help injured soldiers.Patrick Welsh is getting used to having a smooth face again after having his beard shaved off in aid of BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-servicemen's Association).

IT'S taken years off him - and helped raise vital funds to help injured soldiers.

Patrick Welsh is getting used to having a smooth face again after having his beard shaved off in aid of BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-servicemen's Association).

Mr Welsh, 30, of Watton, decided to start growing his beard in February when illness meant he was unable to carry on his training with the TA 254 Medical Regiment in Norwich.

'As I could not do the training and be deployed as part of the regiment I thought I would do something to help and raise money.'

Mr Welsh's younger sons Aiden, nine, and Frazer, five, are pupils at Carbrooke Primary School, which has close links with the military and acting headmistress Rosie Newport did the shaving.

'It feels a bit odd and when I had had it done I realised how cold it was! I sent some pictures to BLESMA and they thought I looked 20 years younger!' said Mr Welsh.

He has so far raised nearly �100 and anyone who wants to donate money can visit his web page at www.justgiving.com/patrick-welsh-shavingoffmanbeard.