A WALWAYNE Court pupil has made a huge difference to the lives of children suffering from hair loss by donating her hair to a charity which provides wigs to youngsters with cancer.

Seven-year-old Gabriella de Visser had her 13-inch-long hair cut short at Madam & M’Sieur, in Fore Street, Trowbridge, on Thursday morning and it was then sent off to The Little Princess Trust.

Gabriella, who was born and grew up in Grand Cayman, spent much of her summer holidays fundraising for the charity, reaching the magnificent figure of around £700 – nearly double what she initially targeted.

She said: “This is really good thing to support young children with cancer and I’m very happy to be making a difference to them.

“It feels a bit strange having short hair, but I’m certainly getting used to it.”

Gabriella, who moved to Trowbridge with her mother Catherine last year, has wanted to have her hair cut for charity since she was three years old when she was inspired by a friend who moved to America and did something similar for a charity there.

Her mother Catherine de Visser, who is a nurse, said: “I’m really, really proud and I feel that this is a lovely thing to do and if it helps raise the awareness of the Little Princess Trust, then that is just fantastic.

“It would be lovely if more people knew about it.

“The fundraising really snowballed towards the end of the school year and through the summer holidays.”

Ms de Visser, of Wiltshire Drive, said that she was initially a little concerned with how her daughter might take to her new look, but said Gabriella is happy to be making a difference and looking forward to seeing her school friends in September.

For more information, about the Little Princess Trust, visit www.little princesses.org.uk.