A CARING youngster from East Tilbury has had her flowing locks cut off so she can help someone less fortunate than herself.

Ten-year-old Katie Read, who is a pupil at Stanford-le-Hope's Abbots Hall Primary Academy, had hair that had reached 27 inches long but she decided to cut her tresses off to donate it to the Little Princess Trust.

Mum Heidi, who prepared Katie's hair and made the crucial cut, is so proud and says: "She's wanted to do this for years to make a child who doesn't have hair feel happy.

"She has been growing her hair for many years with the sole purpose being to donate it to the trust.

"Katie has donated 16.5 inches of hair. I'm so proud of her! She's such a caring little girl."