BY DONATING her hair to the Little Princess Trust, Val Stewart has helped children who experience hair loss through cancer and other reasons.

The mother-of-five said she couldn't bear the thought of children being upset at losing their hair, so she decided to Brave the Shave for Macmillan, raising £350 in the process.

Val, 56, head housekeeper of The Elms Nursing Home in Bembridge, was sponsored by colleagues, friends and family.

Val recently received her certificates from both charities, and said: "I was a bit anxious about shaving my hair off because I've never done anything like this before. It was strange to have the clippers removing my hair and as I watched the hair fall to the floor, I was a bit in shock.

"I shaved my hair off, in support of an old friend, Dawn Carla Ballan, who passed away earlier this year. She was only 29 years old and it was upsetting news, so I wanted to do something to champion this cause.

"It's peculiar to have short hair but it has grown back quite a lot since I shaved it all off and I'm proud to support the charities."