Skip to content

Essex boy, 9, has first haircut and donates locks for children's wigs

PA Media/Reuters Reilly Stancombe and Gareth BalePA Media/Reuters
Reilly Stancombe was inspired to grow his hair by Wales, Real Madrid and Tottenham footballer Gareth Bale

A nine-year-old boy has had his first ever haircut and donated his locks to charity.

Reilly Stancombe from Essex raised more than £3,300 for the Little Princess Trust, which will use his hair to make wigs for children with cancer.

Daisy Canny said her son came up with the idea after seeing children at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where he had been a patient.

Reilly said he was "scared" about the cut, but loves his short hair.

"I really hope this will make a lot of people happy," he said.

PA Media Reilly Stancombe having hair cutPA Media
Reilly's family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Little Princess Trust

Reilly aimed to raise £100 for the charity, which as well as making wigs for children also helps research projects to try and find less toxic treatments for paediatric cancers.

He said he hoped the money and the wigs would mean children "won't feel like they're different any more".

PA Media Reilly Stancombe with long hairPA Media
Reilly said he "didn't think it was actually that long", while mum said it had been "sort of his identity really"

After having his long ponytail cut off at Masters & Misters barbers in Clacton-on-Sea, Reilly said he was shocked at how much hair he had had.

"I was looking at it like 'what?'," he said.

"I didn't think it was actually that long, then when I looked at it, it was massive.

"It felt weird to see it not in my hair, and to be in my hand."

Ms Canny said her son's hair was "sort of his identity really" as he was known as "Reilly with the long hair".

presentational grey line

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]