WESTBURY musician Al Summers is to lose his beard of 31 years during a charity fundraising night.

Mr Summers is supporting Splash-Wiltshire (Schools and Police Liaison Activities for the Summer Holidays) and North Wiltshire Homelessness Project by going clean-shaven for the first time since the mid 1970s.

The Charity Hair Loss fundraiser at the Laverton Hall, Westbury on April 29 is the centrepiece of a musical event called Friday Night Jook Joint.

Billed as a funk, jazz, blues, country and rock evening, the music gets under way at 8.15pm.

Mr Summers, 47, said: "I'm coming over all cold at the thought of it. I lost the hair on my head years ago so I always call myself the bloke with his hair on upside down."

Mr Summers' four-piece group features three other professional session players in Kevin Rowe, Pete Driscoll and Tony Stockley.

He said: "Both Kevin and I have worked on Splash projects in the past and really believe in the principle. We are delighted to help support a local charity at this event."

The evening also includes a tabletop musical instrument sale and tickets cost £5.

They are available from Westbury Tourist Information Centre on (01373) 827158 or for credit card sales call Mr Summers on (01373) 864721.