The haircut that made history to provide Afro hair in wigs for children with cancer

  • Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Claire McGlasson

When 10-year-old Carly Gorton decided to donate her hair to help children with cancer, she thought that cutting it off would be the difficult bit.In fact, the biggest challenge was finding a charity to accept it. Carly from Southburgh in Norfolk was told that wig-makers couldn't work with Afro hair because it's too delicate.

So she started a campaign to get that changed. And it was huge relief to have finally made the cut when Carly Gorton had a trim in front of her classmates at Norwich School for Girls and helped achieve a first.

Carly Gorton with her mother Anna Mudeka before the historic haircut Credit: ITV News Anglia

Her mother Anna Mudeka was in charge of the scissors: "I was absolutely petrified but I think I've done a good job!"

ITV News Anglia first met Carly in November after she contacted charities, including The Little Princess Trust, who source wigs for children and was told they couldn't use her hair.

Phil Brace of the Trust said: "We've always provided wigs Afro in look and style but what didn't really sit well with us was the fact you could have two children in the playground, one with Caucasian hair, one with Afro hair, one could donate their hair and get involved in our community and support the charity and help children with cancer, and the other couldn't."

Hair for wigs can come from a variety of sources but until Carly's campaign Afro hair was excluded

Mr Brace added: "We've been looking for solutions for some time but Carly was really tenacious and really challenged us and it was then that we were able to come up with a solution where we have a different process of making the wigs.

Carly hopes other children will consider donating and now, thanks to her, many more have the option.