A RIBBLE Valley girl is set to have her flowing locks cut off in memory of her grandpa and raise money for charity.

Emelia Mitchell, 8, was very close to her ‘papa’, who died last July, and will have at least 10 inches of her hair cut and donated to The Little Princess Trust, an organisation that make and give wigs free to children who have lost their hair through illness.

Emelia, who is from Bolton-by-Bowland, is also attempting to raise £1,500 for Pendleside Hospice who looked after her granddad, Som Gude, shortly before he died.

The year four pupil at Bowland Primary School made up her mind to have her hair cut, which is currently so long that she can almost sit on it, after seeing an advert for Little Princess Trust on TV.

Her hair is to be cut on May 23, at Amanda Eastwood’s hair salon, Moor Lane, Clitheroe.

Emeila said: “I will be having at least 10 inches off and all the money I raise is going to Pendleside Hospice which cared for my grandpa in the last few hours of his life. They were so kind to him and my family and I really wanted to say a big thank you to them and help them to help others.

“My papa was so special to me and I was so lucky to have such a great grandpa for eight years.”

Emelia has currently raised more than £400 for the hospice.

Her mum, Sheila, said: “I’m so proud of what she is doing and she is such a caring girl. She loves her hair but I’m sure that she will not regret doing it.

“She is always thinking about doing things for other people but I think she will still be a bit nervous on the day.”

A spokeswoman from Pendleside Hospice said: “Thank you very much to Emelia for supporting the hospice with her sponsored hair cut.

“It is truly inspiring that somebody as young as Emelia would think to do a fundraising challenge in support of Pendleside Hospice and her decision to have her long hair cut is to be admired.”

To donate, visit: www. justgiving.com/mypapa.