EIGHT-year-old Alicia Barrowclough had always refused to have her hair cut.
Alicia, from Skelmanthorpe, loved her long hair and wanted to keep growing it.
That was until she heard about a special charity which makes wigs for children who have lost their hair through cancer or other conditions.
Mum Helen showed Alicia pictures of some of the youngsters in need of help on the Little Princess Trust website.
Alicia, just seven at the time, turned to her mum and said: “I want to make them smile again.”
Mum-of-three Helen, 39, said Alicia had never had her hair cut before and added: “She loved her long hair so much.
“It was getting too long and I had been asking her for a year if we could get it cut but she always refused.
“It was only when she heard about this charity that she changed her mind.”
Helen, though, waited a few months in case Alicia decided she wanted to keep her hair after all but the little girl stuck to her guns.
Alicia, a pupil at St Aidan’s First School in Skelmanthorpe, had her hair cut at a local salon.
An impressive 17 inches of hair was snipped off, leaving Alicia a little shocked.
Alicia was aiming to raise money towards the £350 needed to turn her hair into a wig.
Before having her hair cut, she made collecting boxes and stood in the Co-op at Skelmanthorpe collecting money.
“She was really poorly at the time and had to go and lie down halfway through but she insisted on doing it,” said Helen.
“We are so proud of her. She has a heart of gold.”
Alicia has raised £158 so far and anyone who wants to help or donate can ring Helen on 07447 906101.
