A 15-year-old girl from Upminster has chopped off 18 inches of her hair to raise around £500 for children who have lost their own from cancer or other illnesses.

Kyla Dixon, whose hair had grown to around 35 inches during lockdown, went to Upminster’s Shumalia’s hairdresser for the cut and will now donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity which donates wigs to children and young people.

Romford Recorder: Before and after: Kyla Dixon donated 18 inches of hair to the Little Princess TrustBefore and after: Kyla Dixon donated 18 inches of hair to the Little Princess Trust (Image: Kyla Dixon)

The hair salon cut and styled the Hall Mead School pupil's hair for free in support of her cause, and Kyla’s sister Felicity English helped set up a JustGiving page.

Kyla told this paper: “I’ve had long hair my whole life, and I’ve never had so much cut off, so it was quite a big thing for me.

“But I did it because it’s going to make a little girl so happy.”

Her mother Julie English added: “She did all the research herself, found the charity and set up the donation page on Facebook.

“She wanted to do something good, and this is an amazing thing she has done.”

You can donate to Kyla’s fundraiser at https://uk.gofundme.com/f/kylas-hair-donation-fundraiser-for-the-lpt