A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl chopped 16 inches off her hair to help youngsters affected by cancer.

Billie Barnwell, from Portland, wanted to brave the haircut after watching a programme about youngsters with cancer. She heard about the Little Princess Trust and decided she wanted to help out.

The charity makes real hair wigs for boys and girls who lose theirs due to battling cancer.

Billie, who has Asperger’s, has always had really long hair, but was determined to brave the chop. She made a special collection box decorated with drawings and took it to her dance class and to her school St George’s Primary on Portland, to ask for donations.

Her family, including mum Hannah, dad Malcolm and big sister Charlie-Mae, 15, all watched on as the youngster had her hair cut at Elite Salon in Chiswell.

Her hair was plaited and will be sent off to the Little Princess Trust and the money she has raised will go to Macmillan.

Mum Hannah said: “She lost one of her grandads to cancer and Macmillan were involved in his care. She is fundraising for Macmillan. She wanted the hair to go to make a wig for a little girl and the money to Macmillan to help someone like her granddad Dave Travers.

“She has Asperger’s but she set her mind to it and that was it.

“I’m really proud of her. I’m so proud of her determination.”

Dad Malcolm said: “I’m really proud of her. Donating the hair to someone that needs to look good after treatment is probably more important than the money.

“I think it’s good. She thought of it herself.”

Sister Charlie said: “She doesn’t like change so it’s a big thing for her.

“She was excited and was counting down the sleeps until the haircut.”

Billie said she liked her new haircut, she said: “I wanted to cut it off to help other people.”

She said a big “thank you” to everyone that had supported her and sponsored her.

The staff at Elite gave Billie a voucher so that she could return to the salon and have a little pampering as a special treat for her generosity.

She raised £328.31 for Macmillan.