IT seems that mermen do exist in the Dyfi Estuary - but it’s all in the name of charity.

The photos of the bearded me-men, taken around the area, have been made into a 2018 wall calendar in a bid to raise money for Mid Wales Refugee Action this Christmas.

Since the calendar’s launch last week, the team behind the calendar says they have “flown off the shelves” - with internet orders flooding in from places as far afield as Italy and the US.

Machynlleth shopkeeper Jonathan Gross instigated the project after he and his wife Petra saw an article about a group of bearded Canadians raising money for charity.

“The thing that surprised me the most was just how enthusiastic the Dyfi Valley men were about taking their clothes off and dressing in fish tails,” he said.

“The project came together in the space of a fortnight, with local firm Eveleigh Photography volunteering to take the pictures with the beautiful location of Smuggler’s Boatyard as a backdrop.”

The calendars are on sale at Dyfi Wholefoods and Wheeler’s Fabrics in Machynlleth, the Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn and online atwww.midwalesrefugeeaction.org/product/mwr-men-calendar.