An eight-year-old pupil from Llangynidr Primary School has been praised after donating 17 inches of his hair to help children and young people who have lost their hair through illness.

Luca Dobson, a Year Four pupil, donated his hair to The Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides real-hair wigs free of charge to children and young people across the UK and Ireland affected by hair loss due to cancer treatment or other conditions.

The haircut was carried out with the support of barbers Chris Norris and Aimee Combes of Guys and Dolls Barber Shop in Crickhowell.

School staff said Luca had grown his hair for a long time before deciding to make the donation, wanting to help children who may be unwell or lacking confidence.

A spokesperson for Llangynidr Primary School said the gesture would make a real difference.

“Luca’s kind gesture highlights how small actions can have a big impact, and this donation will help bring comfort and confidence to a child in need,” they said.

“The school community, along with his family and friends, are extremely proud of his achievement.”

The Little Princess Trust supplies wigs free of charge to children and young people across the UK and Ireland.

Alongside its wig provision, the charity began funding childhood cancer research in 2016, supporting more than 150 projects aimed at developing kinder and more effective treatments for paediatric cancers.