Boy, 9, has first ever haircut to make into wigs for children with cancer

Reilly Stancombe was inspired to grow his hair long by footballer Gareth Bale.

A nine-year-old boy who had never previously had a haircut has had his long locks chopped off to be made into wigs for children with cancer.

Reilly Stancombe, of Little Clacton in Essex in the UK, was inspired to grow his hair long by footballer Gareth Bale.

Reilly said of his first haircut: “I was scared, I have to admit.”

But, commenting on his new shorter style after a trip to the barbers, he said: “I love it.”

Reilly is donating his hair to the Little Princess Trust to be made into wigs.

Reilly Stancombe before having his first ever haircut (Joe Giddens/PA)

He aimed to raise £100 for the charity, which also helps research projects focusing on finding less toxic treatments for paediatric cancers, but had topped £3,300 on his GoFundMe page by this week.

“I really hope this will make a lot of people happy,” said Reilly, adding that he hoped children “won’t feel like they’re different any more” once they have a wig.

He got his hair cut at Masters & Misters barbers in Clacton-on-Sea on Tuesday and held his ponytail in his hand after it was cut off.

“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.”

Reilly Stancombe was inspired to donate his hair when he saw sick children at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Joe Giddens/PA)

His mother, Daisy Canny, 30, said that before his haircut people knew her son as “Reilly with the long hair” and it was “sort of his identity really”.

She said he had never previously had his hair cut but decided to do so to help others.

She said Reilly was born with a bowel condition and got the idea for donating his hair when he saw poorly children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he goes for appointments.

To donate, see https://uk.gf.me/v/c/gfm/reillys-campaign-for-the-little-princess-trust