A selfless Sidmouth six-year-old has cut off her flowing blonde locks so another little girl can feel like a princess.

‘Real-life Rapunzel’ Charlie Tillotson brought her dad Steve to tears when she told him she wanted to make the sacrifice to give a cancer sufferer a head of hair, writes Stephen Sumner.

Her first proper trim captured the hearts of the community, which has donated more than £1,400 to Children with Cancer UK – and now she is set to be treated like royalty at Sidmouth Carnival.

“The cut went great; she was nervous before but looking forward to it as well,” said Betjeman Close resident Steve. “She knew where the hair’s going – she wants another little girl to feel like a princess.

“She is ecstatic with how much she has raised, she didn’t even think she’d get £500.

“She is going to grow it back – maybe in 10 years’ time she’ll cut it off again.”

The Newton Poppleford Primary School pupil had wanted to cut the whole two feet off, but he talked her out of it, knowing it would come as a shock.

Charlie is still getting used to her new look, but a stream of flowers and chocolates is reminding her she has done a wonderful thing.

And she is being bought a dress and a tiara to be treated like a princess on a float at this year’s Sidmouth Carnival.

The youngster had said she was always going to grow it, but then told her dad she wanted to lop it off after watching a programme about child cancer sufferers.

The father of four said: “She came up to me a couple of weeks later and said, ‘Daddy, would you mind if I had all my hair cut off for children with cancer?’

“I welled up.”

Her hair was cut at a packed Upper Cut by family friend Rianne Woodruff.

The Little Princess Trust will now send the hair to China to be made into a wig before it comes back to the UK for a boy or girl going through cancer treatment.

The wig could cost as much as £5,000 in a shop.

Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/charlietillotson.