Why South Tyneside youngster got 11-inches chopped off her hair for Little Princess Trust

Sophia Kennedy, from Primrose, Jarrow, lost 11 inches from her hair, when she took to the hairdressers chair for the Little Princess Trust.

The seven-year-old had her long blonde hair - which was her ‘pride and joy’ - cut into a shoulder-length bob at Hairbiz salon at St Johns Precinct in Hebburn on August 19.

She raised a total of £248 for the charity and donated her hair to be made into wigs for other youngsters who have lost their own hair due to cancer treatment.

Sophia, who attends Valley View Primary School in Jarrow, announced she wanted to have her hair cut off to raise money for a cancer charity, after hearing about her own mum’s battle with the disease.

Mum Leighanne Rylance, 33, was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 before Sophia was born, but has previously shared her experience with her daughter.

“We have spoken about it before, and one day Sophia asked if she could have her hair cut off because she wanted to donate it to charity, so we arranged it for her,” said the mum-of-three.

“She wasn’t nervous, but I was a bit apprehensive about it because it was right down past her bum, it was her pride and joy.”

However, the youngster loves her new grown-up hairstyle.

“She loves her new hair now, she thinks she looks so grown up, she doesn’t think she is a baby anymore,” Leighanne continued.

The Little Princess Trust was founded in memory of five-year-old Hannah Tarplee, who lost her battle with a Wilms tumour in 2005.

The charity has supplied more than 8,000 free real hair wigs to children and young people who have lost their hair through cancer treatment and other illnesses.

“I was so proud of her for doing it, as were all our friends and family,” said Leighanne.

“There’s not many children her age who would want to do that.

“She just hopes that she has helped someone somewhere.”