THE Northern Echo is lending its support to the moustache-growing festival of Movember.

On the day the national charity event gets underway, The Echo is sporting a fetching moustache on its front page and is changing its dateline - from Novvember to Movember - for the first day of the campaign.

Movember is when men attempt to grow a moustache for 30 days, with the support of the women in their lives, to raise awareness and funds for mens health, specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mens mental health.

Started in Australia in 2003 by a few friends who wanted to bring back facial hair, the moustache-growing annual charity event has now become a worldwide phenomenon.

Last year more than 1.1m people pledged their support to Movember and raised £92m globally.

In the UK, there were more than 363,000 participants, who raised more than £27m.

And last night Northern Rail, which operates train services throughout the region, announced they are introducing the worlds first Mo Train.

The Mo Train - which will be the first of many during November - sports a unique moustache on the front of the train.

The specially produced train moustaches, or mos, as they are known to Movember insiders, will be visible all over the netowork.

Northern Rail managing director, Alex Hynes, said: "With almost 5,000 employees and serving a population of 15m people, we can really help spread the word about the seriousness of men's health up North.

"Our customers will see posters at stations and on all of our trains. Our Mo Trains will be out and about throughout November, mirroring the Movember challenge - to grow and maintain a moustache and wear the ribbon for men's health with pride."

Northern has also launched a high-profile employee campaign to ensure they take care of themselves and others - encouraging them to sign up to Movember as 'Mo Bros' and 'Mo Sistas'.

For more information visit movember.com