HAVING a haircut is a pretty regular occurrence most girls and boys, but for Dulverton Middle School pupil Emily Brennan it was a real cause for celebration.

The 12-year-old was determined not to let her lovely locks go to waste when she had her first cut for many years.

So with help from mum Ronnie, she set up a Just Giving fundraising webpage and decided to collect both sponsorship - and her cut hair - for the Little Princess Trust.

The trust specialises in supplying real-hair wigs to both boys and girls who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment or from the hair-loss condition alopecia.

All the wigs are given to the children free of charge, although it can cost thousands of pounds to make each one.

On her fundraising webpage, Emily said: "I am cutting my hair off for the Little Princess Trust which is a charity that provides children with real hair wigs.

"But I need your help. Even though the wig is free to the child there is an average cost to the trust of £350 but the retail price is £2,000."

She had her hair cut in front of classmates at Dulverton Middle School last Friday and has already raised over £950 for the charity.

Ronnie said Emily had been growing her hair for about two and a half years and was only too glad to help the charity.

"Emily read a book about someone with cancer and had a friend who had had their hair cut off so we decided to look into it a bit more.

"She did a school assembly about the Little Princess Trust and is already looking at how else she can help the charity," Ronnie said.

Anyone who would like to support Emily's fundraising can donate via the website justgiving.com/ronnie-brennan.

Photo: Somerset Photo News