BIG hearted teaching assistant Tracy Burns decided to sacrifice her hair to raise more than£2,000 to help sick children.

Tracy, who works at Alverton Primary school in Northallerton, has spent the past seven-and-a-half years growing it, but when she heard about appeals to raise money to help six-month-old George Butterworth she decided the big cut was the only answer.

George, from Great Smeaton, near Northallerton suffers from a condition which affects his head, and his mum Hayley says it is severe and worsening, causing his head to become misshapen and his ears out of line.

Fundraising was started by his mum through crowdfunding, to buy a special helmet costing nearly £2,000. Tracy made up the final £900 needed and the rest of the money raised is going to help other children.

Ms Burns said:" I just wanted to help. Chopping off all my hair seemed a good way of doing it. It does feel strange, and definitely very cold round the ears."

"George is a lovely little boy, and we're helping another little girl with the same problem. My hair was donated to the Princess Trust to make wigs for sick children. So it was worthwhile, everyone has been so good, donating money, I really would like to thank them."