KIND-Hearted Helen Glendinning has decided to follow the lead of a Peebles schoolgirl and part with her flowing locks to help sick children.

The 44-year-old from Innerleithen hit on the idea after picking up her Peeblesshire News and reading about teenager Kaija Holness who is having her hair cut before embarking on a cycle ride for a leukaemia charity.

“Everyone else is doing all these fitness things but I wouldn’t be up to that. My hair is the most valuable thing I have so after reading the article I thought that was a great idea,” she said.

“I won’t have all my hair cut off but it will be very short - I am a middle-aged woman and would not look good if I was completely bald.” Helen will donate the money she raises to the Little Princess Trust, a charity based in Hereford that provides real hair wigs for children suffering hair loss.

“Many of the kids who lose their hair are quite brave but there are so many little ones who don’t get over it and I want to help them.” she said. ”The charity I’m donating to was quite happy to take my hair even though it’s highlighted - the others said they would only take virgin hair.” Helen works in the bar and restaurant at the Corner House Hotel in Innerleithen and the ‘big cut’ will take place on the premises at 11.30am on April 19.

She is hoping to raise money for the Little Princess Trust through sponsorship and has arranged a raffle for which she is asking local shops to donate prizes.

“I’ve got a mobile hairdresser coming in to do the cut and I hope a lot of people will come along and have a bit of a laugh,” she said.

“I’ve got about nine inches of hair but the actual cut won’t take long. It’s just the re-styling of what’s left of my hair that will take more time.” Interested observers will include Helen’s husband Robert and her 14-year-old daughter Keegan. “Robert says this is going to be a radical change. He says it could be a new me and he’s all up for it,” she said.