A TEENAGER has presented a cheque for more than £1,000 to a cancer charity with the toddler who inspired her to do a sponsored head shave.

Sporting her new short hair-do, 17-year-old Alice Reid, of Darlington, handed pver a cheque for £1,371 to Cancer Research UK.

Alice, who attends Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington, decided to have her head shaved after learning that her best friend's two-year-old niece, Katie Grant, had been diagnosed with cancer in September.

Katie had already had surgery to remove the brain tumour and was about to undergo chemotherapy when the A-level student was inspired to sacrifice her long, brown locks.

Alice said: "I knew that Katie's hair would fall out as a result of the chemotherapy treatment and so decided to have my long hair shaved off as well, so that we would look the same." She took the brave step of having her head shaved in front of all her friends and teachers at school in October.

Expecting to raise about £700 from the daring act, Alice was overwhelmed by people's generosity, collecting nearly double that amount.

While Katie, who is now losing her hair with the treatment, is a little too young to understand, Alice said her best friend Laura Rutherford was extremely grateful.

Lindsay Kay, who collected the cheque at the school on behalf of the charity, thanked her for her efforts.

The presentation comes at the start of Children's Cancer Month and Cancer Research UK is urging people to back its Little Star Appeal, raising money into research for the disease.

To make a donation to the appeal call (08701) 602040.