A WEB content editor at Dyson in Malmesbury has raised over £1,200 for charity after shaving off the beard which landed him his dream acting role in Doctor Who.

Darren Whiting, 45, was paid a visit by The Bearded Barber, Phil Wilkey at Dyson for a clean shave in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK.

He was cheered on by his colleagues at Dyson as he said farewell to the beard he had been growing for four years in the hopes of securing more extra roles for TV shows.

Mr Whiting, said: “I’ve been growing my beard for four years and it helped me to get a part on Doctor Who, which was a dream come true as it’s been my favourite show since I was a child.

"Getting to be a part of it was the proudest moment of my life, but it was never meant to be a long-term thing and I always knew I would shave my beard off sooner or later and use the occasion to try and raise funds for a good cause.

“On the day, my colleagues at Dyson came to support me, it was nice to have a few familiar faces there. I’d also like to say a huge thanks to Phil who kindly made the effort in coming to Dyson to do the shave and waiving his fee.

"It was quite strange having it cut off, it feels very different. It’s nice to be able to feel the air on my face again, although it was probably the worst timing ever considering the cold snap we had a couple of days later. Since it’s been gone, quite a few people have been taken aback.”

Mr Whiting set out to raise £250 for Alzheimer's Research after seeing the devastating impact of dementia in his own family, but managed to smash his target, raising nearly five times that.

“I’ve been so overwhelmed by the support," he explained. "I wasn’t expecting to raise so much, I’m so happy as it’s such an important cause. Alzheimer’s is a horrifying disease and is one of my worst fears. I think I’d rather physically lose an arm or a leg, than lose my own memories.

"A decade ago my great Aunt Mavis sadly lived with Alzheimer’s and that was the first time I saw it for myself, it was devastating. I know we’ve been making great leaps forward with dementia research and I hope my small contribution will help towards getting rid of it for good.”

Corporate partnerships manager at Alzheimer's Research UK, Vicky Lake, said: “We are so grateful to Darren for shaving off his beard for dementia research – we couldn’t wait to see the after pictures and they didn’t disappoint, it was such a transformation.

"Darren’s efforts have raised a fantastic amount for Alzheimer's Research UK, which will be a huge help in the fightback against dementia. It’s thanks to the support of people like Darren, and companies like Dyson, that we are able to fund the life-changing research that will lead us to a cure for dementia. We could not do it without them.”