A PRESTONPANS schoolgirl has donated her long locks to charity after being inspired to help other boys and girls diagnosed with cancer and other illnesses.

Zoe Shepherd, five, said goodbye to her long hair last Wednesday afternoon after visiting Medusa Hairdressing on Musselburgh High Street.

Her mum, Lynsey Macdonald, explained where the idea came from.

She said: “There are so many adverts on television where you can sponsor a child. She is always aware that those wee children don’t have toys or those wee children don’t have clean drinking water.

“There must have been a programme on television where a girl did not have hair and she asked why.

“I said sometimes wee boys and girls get ill and the medicine they take makes their hair fall out.” Lynsey then searched online and found out about the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides real-hair wigs, free of charge, to boys and girls that have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other illnesses.

Since being formed in 2006, it has given away more than 2,000 free wigs.

Lynsey said: “I said to Zoe what she could do is if she got her cut off, she could give it to the charity and they turn it into wigs.

“She said she wanted to do that and give her hair to a wee girl so she can be happy and have nice hair again.” So, last Wednesday, the Prestonpans Infant School pupil had her hair cut, with eight and a half inches chopped off.

Each wig costs on average £350 to make, with Zoe’s kind-hearted family and friends ensuring she surpassed the target.

On top of that, the hairdresser gave the haircut for free.

Her mum, from Blink O’Forth, said: “She bounced through on the Thursday morning saying she loved her new haircut.

“She is getting nothing but compliments as well.” Now, the hair and the money will be passed on to the charity to create a wig.

A spokeswoman for the cause said: “We are extremely grateful to Zoe for not only very bravely donating her hair but also raising money for the charity to pay for us to provide the wig.

“We appreciate how much a child’s hair means to them. So for Zoe to donate her hair, we really appreciate what a big thing that is for her.

“This year, we have provided wigs for more than 700 children and, on behalf of the charity and the families we help, we give our sincerest thanks to Zoe.”