A LITTLE girl who goes to Fairford Primary School will be having her long hair cut off for charity next month - while all her classmates are watching.

Seven-year-old Madison Howell, known as Maddy, was shocked and confused when her beloved Grampy was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012.

Her mum Kelli Salone tried to explain the disease to her curious daughter and when she told her that it was not just old people who could suffer from the illness - young children could get cancer too - Maddy decided she wanted to help. The schoolgirl lives in Hannington with her mum, dad Leon and three-year-old sister Boe.

"Maddy spends so much time with her Gran and Gramps so she had a lot of questions," said Kelli, 44. "When we explained that little kids get cancer too she could not really imagine it."

Her grandfather, Nick, was given three months to live after his diagnosis in 2012 but has since been given the all clear for the time being.

With her long, blonde hair Maddy has wanted to be Rapunzel ever since the popular Disney film Tangled came out in 2010. But mum Kelli said as soon as the seven-year-old found out she could donate her hair to create a wig for children with cancer, her mind was made up.

"Maddy's hair is 10 inches now and it needs to be seven inches to create a wig," said Kelli. "She's going to have it an inch short! I told her she didn't have to have all that cut off, most people have a bob, but she said no she wants it like that.

"It's going to be such a contrast from her having lots of hair then to hardly having any."

And the brave schoolgirl will be having her locks chopped off on Friday, May 15, during her morning assembly at Fairford Primary School - with all her classmates watching. After spending two years growing it to the required length, she will be asking her hairdresser for a short do similar to that of Harry Potter star Emma Watson's.

Maddy's hair will then go to charity The Little Princess Trust, which provides real-hair wigs free of charge for seriously ill children.

With help from her family, Maddy is getting closer to her challenge and has set up a fundraising page so people can donate to her chosen charity.

Visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/madisonhowell to donate to Maddy's fund.