In today's world of goatees and shaven heads it takes a thick-skinned person to wear a 'tache.

But a club that has worldwide notoriety prides itself on its well groomed facial hair.

The Handlebar Club, for people with a penchant for moustaches, met in Lewes at the weekend to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Forty members from the UK, Holland, Sweden, Belgium and the US attended the AGM at the White Hart Hotel in High Street.

They then enjoyed a tour of Lewes Castle and Anne of Cleves House.

To become a member of the club, one must have "a hirsute appendage of the upper lip, with graspable extremities".

The club chose Sussex for its milestone celebration because the World Beard and Moustache Championship is being held at the Brighton Centre on September 1.

Club secretary Steve Parsons, a medical trainer from Cranbrook, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is the current world champion for the English category of moustache.

He said: "We have been turning a few heads so far.

"People react in two ways to us.

"They either come over and ask questions and are really enthusiastic or we get cat calls from kids.

"But we wouldn't have a big moustache if we couldn't handle the attention."

The club was formed in April 1947 by comedians Jimmy Edwards and Frank Muir.

The inaugural meeting was held backstage at Soho's Windmill Theatre.

In its early years, the club served as a last refuge for dapper ex-RAF officers, whose extravagant moustaches were shunned by the outside world.

Today the facial hair hedonists meet on the first Friday of the month at the Windsor Castle pub in London.

Mr Parsons said: "Women in particular respond to us.

"There are some who absolutely love moustaches, those who put up with them, like my girlfriend, and those who hate them.

"We haven't got any women members yet but they are more than welcome to apply if they pass the criteria."

Private detective Ken Cantamout, 54, from San Francisco, joined the club 12 years ago.

Club members invited him to join when they heard the former policeman started a campaign called Don't Slash the Tash.

He had taken out a court injunction against his new superior, officer who tried to ban him from wearing facial hair to work after almost two decades.

He said: "I was a policeman for 20 years and my moustache was my most valued piece of equipment, more so than my gun.

"I received four medals of valour thanks to my moustache.

"It would always defuse a hostile situation because people would be charmed by me."

Anyone interested in joining can visit www.handlebarclub.co.uk to submit an application - as soon as their extremities become graspable.