A schoolgirl has had her long locks chopped off so they can be made into a wig for a child who lost their hair to cancer treatment.

Annabel Clarke, 7, who goes to school in Walton-on-the-Hill, has donated seven inches, or 17 centimetres, of her hair to the Little Princess Trust which provides wigs for children with cancer.  

Before her haircut, at Ward and Cross hair salon in Ashtead on Friday, Annabel posted on her fundraising webpage: "Share the hair, share the love! 

"My hair will grow back so I don't mind. I think that a child would feel sad to have no hair and a wig made from real hair will make them feel better."

The schoolgirl had her hair cut in memory of her grandmother’s cousin, Andree Mount, who died from cancer last year. 

Annabel's mother Helen Clarke said her daughter’s friend had decided to have her own hair cut for charity and talked about it at their school, Bramley School.

Ms Clarke said: "Annabel then found out as much as she could about the charity and became very aware of what impact losing your hair could have on a child's happiness. 

"Annabel loves her waist length blonde hair but is happy to give more than half of it to a child who has none. 

"Annabel has such empathy for others, generosity of spirit and a thoughtfulness beyond her years.

"We are so proud of her."

She has already raised more than £340.

To donate visit https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/annabelclarke1