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A kindhearted Biggleswade schoolboy donated his long locks to The Little Princess Trust after being inspired by his brave friend's battle with cancer.

William Bartley, nine, raised £1,440 for the charity and made a special visit to The Gentlemen's Lounge, Biggleswade, for his haircut on Saturday (July 24).

The charity makes wigs for children fighting cancer or other hair loss conditions, and William was inspired by his courageous friend Flo Morrison's experience.

William before his visit to the hairdressers, and after, with barber, Calum.

William told the newspaper: "I wanted to donate my hair because my friend's little sister had leukemia and had a wig made by the Little Princess Trust.

"When I got my hair cut I felt good, excited. I would like to say thank you to all the people that donated."

William started growing his hair during Christmas 2019, and coupled with lockdown and the closure of hairdressers, it seemed like the perfect time to start his challenge.

He has now raised enough money to make not one, but two wigs, smashing his original target of £550, and his parents Natasha Bartley, 44, and Neal Bartley, 45, couldn't be more proud.

William's long locks are ready to be made into a wig.

Natasha told the newspaper: "He was excited about having his hair cut. People would say, 'What if you don't like it?' But he just said 'I'll grow it again!'

"We've had so much support from different friends at school and I would like to say a really big thank you to everybody that sponsored him and a really big thank you to The Gentlemen's Lounge.

"They were absolutely amazing and so supportive."

The Gentlemen's Lounge donated their week's tips to William and also gave him a card containing an Amazon voucher.

Natasha added: "They bought William a beautiful card and balloons for him. It said 'This is a gesture because we think you are awesome for doing such a great thing!'"

William's haircut was watched by his grandmother Pat Staff, and his school friends including Edie Morrison, five, Erica-Lily Bayman, nine, Oscar Catmur, nine, Arthur Deller, nine, and of course Flo - who is also known quite rightly as 'Princess Warrior Flo'.

Brave young Flo is now in remission.

William has just finished school at St Andrews and starts at Edward Peake in September; here at the Chronicle we think that he will certainly have an impressive story to tell his new classmates!

To donate to The Little Princess Trust, visit William's fundraising page: https://www.facebook.com:443/donate/177556257719832/?fundraiser_source=external_url

Kind Biggleswade schoolboy donates nine inches of hair to make wigs for cancer patients