Two sisters, whose aunt and uncle died within six months of each other, were described as a cut above the rest yesterday after turning tragedy to triumph.

A Cork woman who turned Rapunzel for charity by growing her hair to 14in in length, has helped two charities — donating the hair to one and raising around €5,000 for another.

Ria Molly Shelly, 11, had been growing her hair for two years after reading about The Rapunzel Foundation, a charity that collects real hair to make wigs for alopecia sufferers, when she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia in May.

Claire McGee loves her very long, richly-coloured brown hair.