A TEENAGER has donated her long locks to charity along with almost £1,500 after shaving her head in memory of her grandfather.

Toni-Jay Brocklesby, 14, a pupil at Saint Francis Xavier School in Richmond, told her mum Cath a year ago that she wanted to shave her head to raise cash for Cancer Research, but was told to wait until she was older.

Mrs Brocklesby, from Colburn, said: “Toni-Jay wanted to cut off her hair in memory of my dad, Billy Drake, last year but I told her she wasn't allowed.

“She brought it up again and this time had done a lot of research into the charity she wanted to use, what she would do with her hair and how she would look after the cut.

“Her hair was waist-length before and now it is a grade three – she had a bit of a wobble when she first saw it coming off, but now she is pleased with it."

Toni said: “I’m really pleased with what I’ve done – I’m still a bit speechless but I love it to bits now and I’ve had lots of nice comments from friends.

“I’m just so pleased to be able to help someone with cancer, as long as I can make someone else happy, I'm happy."

Mrs Brocklesby helped organise the event on Sunday at the Bishop Blaize pub in Richmond, which included a raffle which raised more than £200, a cake sale and karaoke after the hair cut by Jemma Hunter.

To donate visit http://www.justgiving.com/tonijay.