Little Scarlett Reed went to the hairdressers for the first time in her life to have her waist-length hair cut into a short bob so she could help another young girl.

The five-year-old, of Freestone Way, Corsham, heard about the work of the Princess Trust, which provides wigs for children who have lost their hair after cancer treatment, and wanted to help.

Her mum, Tessa Reed, said: “Scarlett always wanted to have her hair really long so she could be like a princess but then she saw a bit on YouTube about how some children couldn’t have a wig because there was not enough real hair available and she said she wanted to help.

“I was worried she would be upset about having her hair cut short but we spoke about it over a couple of months and she was really excited about doing it, especially as the charity is called Princess Trust and she loves everything to do with princesses.”

Scarlett, who is a pupil at Corsham Regis Primary School, went to a salon in Bath run by a friend of her mother’s to have her hair cut.

Mrs Reed also collected cash for the charity outside the school each day last week.

She said: “I thought it better to just collect money rather than doing sponsorship, but the main benefit will be Scarlett’s hair. You have to have at least seven inches of hair to cut but Scarlett has about ten.”

Mrs Reed, who also has four sons Sebastian, 12, Oliver, 11, Solomon, six and Harry, two, said: “All of her brothers are very proud of her. She loves her new hair, although she says she’s going to grow it back again long.”