British GP, 45, wins Best International Mullet in Australia – and vows to cut off his mane, burn it and return it to Britain in an urn, just like the Ashes, in tribute to the England cricket team

A British GP who won the Best International Mullet award in Australia has vowed to shave and burn his mullet so he can take it home in an urn – in retaliation after the Ashes series.

Dr. Alastair Bush wanted to beat the Aussies in their own match after England lost the cricket series to Australia this summer.

As part of their victory, the Aussies took home the coveted Ashes urn.

In revenge, Alastair plans to take the ashes of his prized mullet back to Britain.

The 45-year-old from Bovington, Dorset, flew to the grand final of the World Mullet Growing Championships last weekend.

Alastair didn’t win the overall top prize at Mulletfest Australia, held in the small town of Kuri Kuri in News South Wales, but he was crowned Best International Mullet

The doctor had always had a ‘short back and sides’ in the past, but decided to grow a mullet after being urged by his cousin during lockdown when visits to the hairdresser were banned

Mulletfest 2023 Champion Mitchell White poses for a photo during the Mulletfest 2023 Grand Final at Hebburn Motorsport Park

He also used the competition and trip to raise money for Testicular Cancer UK.

Alastair did not win the overall top prize at Mulletfest Australia, held at Hebburn Motosport Park in the Hunter Valley, but he was crowned Best International Mullet.

The doctor had always had a ‘short back and sides’ in the past, but decided to grow a mullet after being urged by his cousin during lockdown, when visits to the hairdresser were banned.

He started growing the back of his hair in the summer of 2021 and his male mullet grew to be 12 inches long.

The army doctor said he could get away with the “business at the front, party at the back” hairstyle because the soldiers he worked with thought it was funny.

He took part in a heat in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, in February before returning to Australia for the grand final on Saturday.

Alastair decided to raise money for Testicular Cancer UK and encourage men to check themselves. He has raised more than £1,900 for charity and even appeared in The Last Leg with Australian comedian Adam Hills.

Mulletfest has attracted international media attention since its inception in 2018. Pictured: Peter Saggus poses for a photo

This year’s head-to-head battle for the best mullet hairstyle attracted entrants from across Australia and one finalist from Great Britain. Pictured: Jay Rankin

Hunter Prior poses for a photo at the 2023 Mulletfest. The competition rewards the best mullet in a variety of styles including ‘extreme’ and ‘everyday’

The Army doctor plans to return to his normal short back and sides.

He said: ‘It all started when hairstyles were banned during lockdown and my cousin and I were looking at funny hairstyles online.

‘I thought it would be a fun thing to do and I started breeding my mullet in the summer of 2021 with the intention of winning the international mullet championships at Mulletfest in Australia.

‘This is widely regarded as the Everest of the competitive multi-crop world.

‘As a Pom, beating the Aussies at mullet farming would be fitting retribution for the 1882 Ashes series.

Mulletfest started in 2018 in the small town of Kuri Kuri as a way to attract tourism to the area. Pictured: Dan Prior and his son Hunter Prior pose for a photo

Photo: Mullet fans gather during the Mulletfest 2023 Grand Final at Hebburn Motorsport Park

Pictured: Nash Machielse holding his trophy as he wins the 0-3 junior category at the 2023 Mulletfest

‘I work as a GP for the military and many of my patients are in the age group at risk of developing testicular cancer.

‘The soldiers are mainly in their twenties and think the mullet is funny, but I wouldn’t have grown it if I had regular patients.

‘Testicular Cancer UK is a fantastic charity raising awareness of this disease and helping those affected.

‘If diagnosed early it can be easily treated, so awareness is key.’