A SPIRITED eight-year-old is hoping to make a child battling with cancer much happier with one simple idea.

Lila Critchell, who attends Greenford Primary School in Maiden Newton, will be taking her long locks in for the chop in a sponsored hair cut to raise funds for the Little Princess Trust.

Lila wants to raise enough money to be able to ensure that her hair can be turned into a real wig for another child, without costing the charity any more.

Each wig the Little Princess Trust make costs between £350 to £500 and is free to the children who receive them.

Lila said: "I would like to help these children that lose their hair with cancer.

"It will hopefully make them feel better with a wig. I decided to have my hair cut off because it could make a child's life much happier. "Also I would like to help the Little Princess Trust provide wigs for these poor children in hospital.

"These children are fighting for every heartbeat. Every penny you can donate helps."

The Little Princess Trust was set up in memory of Hannah Tarplee, a little girl from Hereford who sadly lost her short battle with cancer in June 2005.

When chemotherapy caused the loss of her hair, her parents, Wendy and Simon, found it difficult to obtain a suitable wig in a child's size. They had one specially made for Hannah but it was very expensive.

After Hannah died, her parents decided to set up the charity with the support of the school and their friends.

This was so that as many children as possible who needed help would benefit and receive a real hair wig free of charge, as quickly as possible.

Lila's mother, Kelly added: "Myself, my husband Martin and her sister Yazmin are all very proud of what she has chosen to do for such an amazing charity.

"Cancer has had a massive impact on our family, Lila never got to meet her paternal grandfather as he died from cancer before she was born, so she really wants to make a difference to support a charity that helps very ill children during a very difficult time."

Lila's hair cut will take place on Saturday, July 1 at 1pm at Capelli's hairdresser's in Poundbury.

Lila is raising money through various sponsorship forms and there are two collection boxes placed in Capelli's hairdressers and Cattistock stores.

To donate visit justgiving.com/fundraising/LilaCritchell