Teen with Down's syndrome donates five feet of hair to charity

A girl with Down's syndrome has raised thousands of pounds for charity by donating more than 5ft (1.5m) of hair - and she is about to chop it again.

Keeley Thomas, 17, from Cambridgeshire, hoped her next haircut would top the £8,500 already raised for charities helping people with disabilities.

Her long locks will then go to the Little Princess Trust, which gives wigs to children having cancer treatment.

Keeley said it was a "good thing" to donate her hair when it got too long.

She had her first professional haircut when she was about five and only has it cut every few years, her mother Lindy Thomas said.

"I do like my long hair, but I hate it when it gets too long," said Keeley, who lives with her family in Fowlmere, near Royston.

"I love it when it's shorter - it feels good."

To date she has donated 5ft 7in (1.7m) of her cut hair to the Little Princess Trust.

Next month she will have her fourth charity chop of another 2ft of hair (0.6m) at The Green Man pub in Shepreth.

She will be raising money for two causes. They are Home-Start - a charity in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire ing families who have children with physical, social and emotional needs, and Follow Your Dreams - a national charity that inspires young people with learning disabilities through creative and interactive events.

Keeley's long hair had always been important to her daughter, said Ms Thomas.

"When she was younger I used to have to stand her in the bath to wash it. Then when it was down to her knees, I said, 'Shall we give it to children who don't have any":[]}