TEACHER Bob Elston hopes he has a head for heights when he tackles an ascent part way up the world's tallest mountain later this year.

But it could be a hairless head - as the County Durham maths teacher has offered to have his prized moustache and beard, and even his head of hair, shaved off as part of the fundraising drive to back his Himalayan adventure.

The more cash donated, the more hair Mr Elston, head of maths at Moorside Comprehensive, Consett, will remove.

"I'll have my moustache shaved off for £250, for another £250 I'll also do my beard.

"For £750, I'll have a number three head shave and for £1,000 I'll probably have a cut-throat razor job," said Mr Elston, who last shaved off his beard to raise money for a trek in Peru, in 2000.

Mr Elston is among a party of 18 non-climbers who will attempt to walk to the base camp of Everest, at 18,000ft-plus, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first successful climb to the summit by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing.

He needs to raise £3,000 to meet the cost of May's Everest challenge, with a £2,000-target by mid-February.

Much of the money will go to the charity Whizzkidz, which provides wheelchairs for youngsters with disabilities.

Mr Elston said: "Although it's only the base camp of Everest we're aiming to reach, it still stands at over 18,000ft. When you go above 16,000ft it's the luck of the draw if you can go any higher.

Anyone willing to sponsor Mr Elston can contact him on 0191-386 3245