Eleven-year-old Felix Jolley from Okehampton had a drastic hair restyle last week when he decided to get his locks cut for the Little Princess Trust.

Felix, who had been growing his hair since the age of three, visited Mikals hairdressers in Okehampton on Friday (July 15) after deciding he wished to have his hair cut for charity.

Felix’s dad, Simon Jolley, said: ‘From about the age of three, Felix has always said he wants long hair. He was convinced he was going to be a big bearded Viking.

‘I suggested to him with all the hot weather he should get an undercut, just to take some weight off. He thought about it and then said that he actually wanted to have it cut off, which came as a bit of a shock. I think he just got to the point where he had had enough.

‘We’d talked about it and said if he ever wanted to get his hair cut donating it to the Little Princess Trust might be a nice thing to do.’

Felix was resolute about his decision and determined to donate his hair to the Little Princess Trust, which provides free-of-charge, real hair wigs to children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other condition.

Felix said: ‘I wanted to have my hair cut to help other children, and also to stop it always being in my food when eating.’

He will now post his hair to the charity, which will hopefully make his hair into a wig for another child suffering with hair loss.

Felix has also set up a JustGiving page and hopes to raise at least £500 - the approximate cost of a wig - for the charity.

As the Times went to press, he had already raised £320.

The Little Princess Trust accepts hair both from the UK and overseas and asks for at least 12 inches (30cm) of hair.

However the charity has said that its greatest need is at the moment is for hair at least 16 inches (41cm) long.

The charity was established in 2006 after the founders’ daughter was devastated when she lost her hair to cancer.

When she received a wig to replace her lost hair, her parents noticed the hugely positive effect it had on her mental health and decided to help other children and young people going through a similar experience.

The charity now provide young people up to the age of 24 with wigs.

To donate to Felix’s cause visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jill-Jolley