A KIND-HEARTED eight-year-old girl has had ten inches chopped off her long hair to help make wigs for children with cancer.

New Earswick School pupil Katy Jefferson has raised more than £350 for The Little Princess Trust after being sponsored to have her hair cut and then donating her plaits to make wigs for children who have lost their hair through illnesses, including cancer.

Her mum Nicola, who works for Martin House Children’s Hospice, said the haircut was Katy’s own decision to support her godmother, Caroline Fletcher, from Strensall, who is fighting breast cancer and wears a wig.

Mrs Jefferson said: “Caroline is my best friend and Katy’s godmother. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June last year it was a huge shock and she has recently been undergoing chemotherapy and lost her hair.

“Katy really wanted to do something to help.”

The haircut took place on Friday at GB’s Hair Salon in Burnholme.

Caroline, who works as a finance manager at Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick, said: “I am so proud of Katy for doing this and would just like to say a huge thank you to her. I am very touched that an eight-year-old, who I have known since she was born, would think to do this.

“When you are in the situation I am in, you really appreciate your family and friends.

“I have a wig myself, and though I don’t think I’ll ever get used to wearing it, they are very important to people who lose their hair.”

The Little Princess Trust is the charity to which pop singer Jessie J donated her hair after she had her head shaved last year. It provides real-hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK and Ireland.