Staff at King's Lynn firm Bespak are enduring a prickly month as they get behind the worldwide Movember campaign.

Some 21 employees are growing facial fluff to raise funds and awareness of male-specific health conditions such as testicular and prostate cancers.

Their colleagues are getting involved by sponsoring the 'mo bros' and taking part in fund-raising activities including a celebrity quiz and raffle.

But while the fund-raisers' endeavours are appreciated in the work place, their sprouting moustaches often receive a less than enthusiastic reception at home.

'It is a bit uncomfortable and my wife isn't keen on it at all,' said purchasing manager Jon Benstead. 'She's really looking forward to December. But it's been really good fun and there's more awareness about Movember every year.'

Development engineer Tony Mallett said his emerging moustache had proved unpopular with both his wife Laura and their two-week-old daughter Bethany.

But he was determined to persevere until the end of the month.

'I won't give up,' he said.

Organiser Nigel White, facilities engineer, said many of those taking part were veterans of the Movember movement.

Last year Bespak, which employs 600 people at its base in North Lynn, raised �750 for the campaign.

'People do sometimes drop out,' he said.

'The main reasons are vanity – they think they may look stupid – or their wives won't let them.

'We definitely hope to beat last year's total.'

Movember was started by a small group of men in Adelaide, Australia, in 2003 and has since spread to every corner of the globe, with campaigns in 21 countries this year.

To date, about two million people have registered to take part around the world and �22m was raised during last year's campaign in the UK alone.