A TEACHING assistant and classical singer is to lose her flowing locks to help children battling cancer.

Sarah Briggs is fond of her 'long, thick, brown and curly hair' but is prepared to see most of it disappear to help form a wig for children who have lost their hair in a battle with cancer.

The 40-year-old, who works at Ashleigh Primary School and lives in Darwen, was inspired to help after hearing about the Little Princess Trust, which was backed in 2013 by pop star Jessie J, who shaved her hair off to donate it as a wig.

Sarah said: "I saw a few mentions of the charity on the internet and after I read about it it made me cry.

"I thought I've got long hair, and as much as I love it, there are people out there who need it more than me. I want be going completely bald but it will be certainly be a lot shorter.

"I know how important hair is to how a person feels and I also know how cruel children can be."

Sarah has worked at Ashleigh Primary School for seven years and combines her job there with classical concerts around the north west.

She said: "I've sang fairly regularly at King George's Hall and Darwen Library Theatre, and I also performed in Bolton recently with the Manchester Camerata, which I'm doing again later this year.

"Having long hair is great for classical music, you can do a lot with it and it suits the look, so it will be interesting performing with shorter hair.

"I think a lot of people who see me fairly regularly will be struggling to recognise me."

Sarah, who will be losing at least seven inches of her hair at Slice hairdressers, in Darwen, next Thursday, has two children, 18-year-old Jack and 11-year-old Emily.

She said: "When I told my son he didn't seem too concerned, he just said 'fair do's', as teenagers usually do. Emily was more shocked at first, she didn't want me to get it done, she said she wouldn't recognise me.

"A lot of my friends and family have said that but I think they will get used to it."

To donate to Sarah's cause and help raise money for the Little Princess Trust visit www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Briggs7/.