A MUM whose daughter was diagnosed with diabetes when she was just two years old will cut off her waist-length hair to raise money for charity.

Viv Elliott will slice off her luscious locks on July 5 to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and donate her pony tail to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for young people undergoing chemotherapy.

The 34-year-old, from Park North, was inspired to go under the scissors to raise money and awareness of the charity after her daughter Katie, now six, was diagnosed with the disease.

“I haven’t had short hair since I was about 19 so I think it will be quite a shock,” said the mum of three.

“It comes down to my waist at the moment. They (the trust) need a minimum of seven inches and I think I’ll be donating about 15 or 16 inches.

“I will have it done at my home. My friend will come over and cut it for me. I will be donating the hair to the Little Princess Trust for little girls suffering hair loss and raising money for JDRF.”

She said the cause was very close to her heart due to Katie’s experience.

“My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 at aged two, so this cause is very close to my heart,” she said.

“At first I thought it was just a bug but it got worse.

“We rushed her to A&E and they knew what it was immediately. It was scary. While we were in the hospital they gave her a pack, which costs about £40. It contained a teddy bear she could practise giving injections to and lots of leaflets and other information to explain what it was.”

Viv got the fundraising bug last year and decided to try something else this year.

“I did a sponsored silence last year and I raised about £300, so I thought I’d try to do something again this year,” she added.

“I’m not very nervous about it at the moment but I think I will be on the day.”

To show your support for Viv, donate to her cause online at justgiving.com/owner-email/pleasesponsor/Viv-Elliott2