AN eight-year-old girl has chopped off her long locks for charity.

Jessica Barton, a pupil at Kirk Merrington Primary School, has donated her hair to the Little Princess’ Trust to make a wig for a young girl with cancer. The youngster has also raised more than £150 for the charity and donations are still coming in.

Jessica, of Spennymoor, was inspired by a magazine article about a child receiving cancer treatment who was given a wig.

She told her mum she wanted to donate her hair to see it put to good use.

Her mother, Paula Barton, said she has lovely long hair, we tried to talk her out of it at first but she was determined.

“We are both really proud of her,” said Mrs Barton. “I was more nervous than her.”

Jessica's hair went down to her waist and has been chopped and collected by the hairdressers at Illusion hair salon to provide a girl with cancer a realistic wig.

The Little Princess’ Trust works with specialist suppliers and experienced hairdressers to offer individual wigs to suit a child’s needs and to give the most realistic look and feel of real hair.