A TEENAGER is set to shave off her long locks to help raise cash for a cancer charity.

Caitlin Williams-Macklin, 16, will be cutting off her hair after her grandfather Robert Williams, of Witham, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

She is hoping to raise £1,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and will donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust.

As well as undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, Mr Williams, of Skiddaw Close, has also faced kidney cancer and spinal compression as a result of the illness.

He said: “I’m so immensely proud of Caitlin - everyone we speak to tells me what an amazing thing it is she is doing.

“We so often hear about negative things young people are doing but I think this shows our young people are there for us and will look after us.”

Caitlin, of Albany Road, West Bergholt, added: “I’m really looking forward to it - it makes my heart swell to know I’m making him so proud.

“I’ve done things for charity in the past like running events but this is very different.

“Some of my friends have said they’re going to cry when I have it shaved off but they’ve been very supportive.”

Caitlin’s mother Tracey said: “She’s determined to do it - it was suggested that she cut it to her shoulders because it’s so long, but even though her grandfather didn’t lose his hair when he began chemotherapy, she associates cancer patients with losing their hair.

“That’s why she has decided to shave it, she says that if chemotherapy patients can deal with it, she should be able to as well.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/caitlin-williams-macklin.