SHE has only been to a hairdresser once in her life.

Little Maddie Findlay is known for her long blonde locks, which tumble all the way down her back.

But now the Southampton schoolgirl has decided to have it all chopped off for her seventh birthday – to help youngsters who have lost their hair during cancer treatment.

Maddie is swapping her birthday party for a charity event to help even more people fighting the disease.

Since she was just three, the youngster from Townhill Park, Southampton, has refused to go to the hairdressers, and the only person she has trusted to trim the tiniest amount from her locks is her mum Hannah.

But a few weeks ago Hannah and Maddie watched a video online of an American girl having her hair cut for charity, which inspired the youngster to do the same thing.

She will donate 15in of her hair to The Little Princess Trust, a charity that creates realhair wigs for c h i l d r e n across the UK and Ireland who are fighting cancer.

Maddie has also raised more than £500 for CLIC Sargent, a c h a r i t y which supports youngsters with cancer, and her grandad Kevin Lendon, director of Amiri Construction, in Fareham, has promised to help her meet her target of £1,000.

The Townhill Infant schoolgirl said: “I saw a little girl having her hair cut and it made me think that I can have my hair cut for children with cancer.

“I like my long hair because it’s pretty, but the bottom doesn’t matter.

“It makes me sad that some children don’t have any hair because they’re poorly.”

Mum-of-three Hannah, 26, said: “I’ve very proud of her. I think I’m going to cry when she has it cut.

“She loves having long hair – when she was little it was really curly and now everyone comments because it’s so long.

She can sit on it, which she finds quite amusing.

“Her sister Ellie is very jealous.

“Her hair isn’t long enough at the moment, but she’s keen to do it in the future.”

Maddie will be having her hair cut off during her charity event at the Southampton Arms, in West End, on April 20.

There will be a bouncy castle, a DJ, raffles and a football competition at the free event, which starts at 1pm.

  • To donate, log on to justgiving.

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