Last updated at 17:30, Friday, 21 December 2012

A THOUGHTFUL little girl has surrendered her long locks to raise money for a cancer unit – after she was touched by the plight of her “best teacher ever”.

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Tegan Friday came up the idea to have her long hair cut as a fundraiser for the oncology unit at Furness General Hospital.

The eight-year-old devised the touching gesture out of affection for a former teacher, who does not wish to be named, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Mobile hairdresser Kelly Shepherd was delighted to offer her services for free and cut nine to 10 inches off Tegan’s hair at her Ulverston home.

Tegan specially selected Monday for her big chop because it was a “special day” – her mum Rachel Barton and her husband Karl’s first wedding anniversary.

Mrs Barton, 34, said: “She says she is her best teacher ever and wanted to try and help her in that way.

“She is very caring and thoughtful.

“She is one of those kids who will help anyone she can.

“She always has time to give to something worthwhile.”

The charity chop raised £150 for the unit, but Tegan’s goodwill does not stop there.

Her family plans to donate Tegan’s hair to the Little Princess Trust, which provides real-hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK and Ireland that have lost their own hair through cancer treatment.

Along with her brother Jacob, five, she also made cakes and biscuits with her grandparents and sold them door-to-door, raising £30 for Children in Need.

Mrs Barton said of Tegan, who is also sister to six-month-old Alfie: “She’s obviously going to be some sort of charity worker when she’s older.”

Hairdresser Ms Shepherd said: “I was over the moon to be asked to cut Tegan's hair, especially when her mum mentioned her reasons for doing so.

“She’s raised such a lot of money and its such a wonderful gesture for a child of eight years old.”

First published at 16:23, Thursday, 20 December 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk