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Man with Britain's best beard eyes world title

Holly PhillipsEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
News imageLewis Aylmer Lewis Aylmer taking a selfie, holding a box of a flask and two shot glasses. He is wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt, a blue and black waistcoat, black glasses and a blue top hat. He has a long, bushy, brown beard and a long, brown moustache. Lewis Aylmer
Lewis Aylmer says it is "crazy" to win the British title for a third time

A man with one of Britain's best beards says he wants to continue his winning streak by securing another world title.

Lewis Aylmer, from Hull, defended his title at the British Beard and Moustache Championships in Kilmarnock on Saturday, winning the under 15cm full beard with styled moustache category.

It was the third time he has won the title and he is now focusing on the World Championships in Blackpool next year in a bid to defend the world crown he won in 2025.

"It's crazy to think that I can keep up a standard that everybody seems to like," he said.

The 35-year-old first entered the British competition in 2016, finishing third, before going on to win national titles in 2018, 2024 and this year.

Aylmer said: "It was an incredible day. Going there, it was just kind of see what happens, [to] see if I could defend my title."

News imageShane Hazelgrave Lewis Aylmer wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt, a blue and black waistcoat, blue and black patterned trousers, black glasses and a blue top hat. He has a long, bushy, brown beard and a long, brown moustache. He is stood next to a man who is speaking into a microphone. He is wearing a blue sports top with numbers on the front. There are people sat behind a table in the background. There is also a black and orange banner hung on a black wall.Shane Hazelgrave
The British Beard and Moustache Championships were held in Scotland this year

The championships feature several categories, including natural, freestyle and creative, with entrants creating designs such as an ice cream bowl moustache and a fairy beard decorated with pine cones.

About 10 people competed in Aylmer's category and he said judges typically look for a handlebar-style moustache with large curls and perfect symmetry.

"There is [criterion] to a point, but it still comes down to what that judge thinks is the standard it should be," he said.

News imageLewis Aylmer Lewis Aylmer looking at himself in a mirror. He is wearing a black t-shirt and is bald. He has a long beard and a long curly moustache which he is touching with both of his hands. The wall in the background is white and a small fake green plant on a wooden shelf can be seen behind him.Lewis Aylmer
Aylmer's focus is now on securing another world title

The British and World Championships are held every two years, in alternate years.

In 2025, Aylmer returned from the World Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the world title, which he will look to defend on home soil in 2027.

Speaking about the event being held in his home country, Aylmer said: "It'll be incredible to be able to have it over here.

"It'll just be nice to see more of the UK guys that can't afford to do all the travelling and stuff like that actually get a chance at such a big stage.

"I think it's going to be incredible."

Aylmer previously said he was bullied for his facial hair at school and said competing had helped him manage anxiety and build confidence.

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