Surrey man grows contender for world's longest beard

A Surrey, B.C., man is hoping he may soon be recognized as having the world's longest living beard.

Three judges measured Sarwan Singh's beard at 2.33 metres, or seven feet7.75 inches, on Tuesday at a special ceremony at the Akal Academy where Singh is a music teacher.

The current record is held by Shamsher Singh of Punjab, India. His beardwas 1.8 metres (six feet) from the end of his chin to the tip in 1997.

The measurement will now be submitted to the publishers of the Guinness World Records for recognition.

As a devoted Sikh, Singh believes uncut hair is one of the five physical symbols of devotion to the Sikh religion.

And while the 43-year-old Singh does not speak English, his family told CBC News they were exceptionally proud of his achievement.

"Not only to me, he's inspiring to the Sikh community," said his young son Bikram Singh, sporting a tuft of hair on his chin that may one day set anotherrecord.

"Whatever God gives us, it is just our job to take care of that. Don't cut it or don't do anything to it," Singh's daughter Gursimran Kaur told CBC News.

The longest beard ever stretched 5.33 metres. It was grown by Hans Langseth of Norway, and was measured upon his death in Kensett, Iowa, in 1927.

One local newspaperreported Sarwan Singh's beard was measured at 1.895 metres, but the Akal Academy maintains the 2.33-metre measurement was correct.