A Chrishall schoolgirl was so determined to help other children who had lost their hair to cancer treatment she waited a whole year for her own hair to grow long enough for it to be chopped off and donated.

Royston Crow: Izzy before her hair cut. Picture: Pippa Knobel-ForbesIzzy before her hair cut. Picture: Pippa Knobel-Forbes (Image: Archant)

Izzy Knobel-Forbes was inspired to put herself forward by hearing stories of brave young children having cancer treatment and by other girls at the village primary school who had also donated their locks to the Little Princess Trust.

Mum Pippa said: “The charity needs hair donations to be at least seven inches, and ideally 12 inches, so Izzy has waited a long time for her hair to be cut at the perfect length.

“Every week she asked ‘is it long enough yet, Mummy?’.”

The Little Princess Trust provides real hair wigs for children suffering from hair loss due to cancer treatment or other health conditions.

The charity provide these wigs for free, but Pippa said a single wig can cost up to £500 to make – so to be able to provide them with Izzy’s hair and some fundraising money is ‘amazing’.

It took 12 months to get Izzy’s pony tail just shy of 12 inches, and she couldn’t wait any longer.

“She started raising money in January and smashed her initial target of £500 in 12 hours,” said Pippa. “Since then we have raised her target three times over and she has just passed £1,600.”

As well as mum Pippa, seven-year-old Izzy has the support of dad Rob and little brothers Harry, four, and one-year-old Charlie.

When the day of the big chop came on Monday, Izzy was said to be so excited, but Pippa was nervous.

“I felt sick, and I nearly cried,” she said. “But Izzy did so well, it didn’t phase her.”

The Year 2 pupil’s bravery was rewarded as her fundraising total shot up and up, and she even got a shout-out from Sara Cox on BBC Radio 2. “It’s the power of Facebook,” Pippa said. “I posted a link to her fundraising page and we got so many donations. Izzy is now looking forward to go to back to school on Monday after the half term with her new hairdo, knowing that she has been able to help another little girl.

“We are so proud that Izzy has chosen to do this completely by herself, and she is so pleased she is able to help.”

To add to young Izzy’s total go to her Big Chop fundraising page and for more on the charity go to www.littleprincesses.org.uk.