Police officer lops off her hair to help Locks of Love youngsters (From Penarth Times)

Police officer lops off her hair to help Locks of Love youngsters

A POLICE officer who's been growing her hair for the last five years has cut it all off for a charity called Locks of Love!

The officer from Penarth has been growing her hair to a length of 19 inches so she can donate the minimum length of ten inches to a child who who has lost theirs.

Sgt Julie Madoc-Smart, who works in Barry Police Station, said: "It's taken me nearly five years to grow my hair long enough for the charity.

"I was beginning to have second thoughts as time got closer to my hair appointment at G J's on Station Approach Road in Penarth.

"I'm so glad that I've done it though, and I'm going to do it all again!"

Sgt Madoc-Smart found out about the Locks For Love charity on a TV programme.

The American charity provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 who suffer from long term medical hair loss.

Donors provide the hair, volunteers staff the office, and the manufacturer hand-assembles each piece - which takes around four months.

"Most of the recipients suffer from an auto-immune condition called Alopecia Areata, for which there is no known cause or cure," explained Sgt Madoc-Smart.

"Other recipients have suffered severe burns or have a dermatological condition that results in permanent hair loss.

"If anyone is going to the hairdressers soon to have their long hair cut, please think about donating it to Locks of Love."