A MUM has shaved off her thigh-length hair so it can be turned into wigs for sick children in honour of her father who is fighting pancreatic cancer.

Leighanne Allen, 32, of Berdens, in Vange, braved the shave to raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Support after one of their nurses, Jane Power, helped to care for her father Terry Fisher during his chemotherapy sessions at Southend Hospital.

Mr Fisher, 57, who lives in Swanstead with his wife Sheila, 54, was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer just after Christmas so Miss Allen and her brother Wayne have vowed to raise as much money for cancer charities as possible.

Mum-of-three Miss Allen said: “It’s been really heart-wrenching as there is nothing we can do really except be there for him.

“But all of the nurses have been really helpful and so supportive. We really wanted to do something for charity, to give something back after all their help.

“So I decided to get my hair cut off to raise some money.

“It was really great, we held it at the Post Office Social Club in Basildon and even managed to arrange for his nurse Jane to turn up as a surprise.”

Miss Allen, who used to be able to sit on her hair but now has a three-inch style with a shaved side and undercut, will donate her long locks to the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides real hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK and Ireland who have sadly lost their own hair through cancer treatment.

She said: “As soon as I cut it off my head felt lighter, like I really needed to do it; I wish I’d done it sooner! I’m glad I can donate it - I had so much hair and it is wonderful to be able to give it to a child who needs it.”

Symptoms for pancreatic cancer can include pain in the abdomen, weight loss and changes in bowel movements but are sometimes dismissed as unimportant. But Mr Fisher’s family have urged anyone experiencing any symptoms to go to their GP as soon as they can.

“If you have any symptoms, you need to get it checked out as soon as possible,” Miss Allen said.

“It could be the difference between being able to do something about it or not.”

Miss Allen has already raised £565 for Macmillan but the brother and sister plan to do more fundraising next year - Mr Allen plans to cycle from London to Paris in just 24 hours in April.