Schoolboy raised hundreds by growing his hair - now he's for the chop!

Eleven-year-old Joseph Wilson regularly gets mistaken for a girl because his golden flowing locks nearly reach his bottom.

But his proud mum Lorraine said it does not bother him because it is all for a good cause.

Joseph, a pupil at Abram Bryn Gates Primary School in Bamfurlong, is going to have his hair cut and donate it to Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children who are receiving treatment for cancer.

He is also collecting donations for Cancer Research UK and has already passed £760.

Mrs Wilson, of Green Lane, Hindley Green, said: “A couple of years ago his hair was getting quite long and I kept saying we need to get it cut. He kept saying he didn’t want it cut.

“I saw an article about a little boy in America who had grown his hair and had it cut so I showed him as an encouragement to get his hair cut.

“I told him it would take a couple of years to get it to a length to make a wig and he would be helping a child and raising money.”

Joseph’s hair has grown so long that he sometimes gets mistaken for a girl, especially when playing as goalkeeper with Britannia Bridge under 11s football team.

Mrs Wilson said: “At football we get a lot of people from the teams he is playing against asking if he is a girl. He’s a really good goalkeeper and because he looks like a girl, a lot of people have got to know him. It’s drawn a lot of attention.

“We went on holiday last year and everywhere we went we could see people looking and wondering if he was a boy or a girl.

“He’s fine with it, he’s not bothered. I think he quite likes the attention.”

Joseph will go under the scissors on Saturday January 21, with hairdresser Lisa Prescott cutting his hair at Renaissance Hair And Beauty in Wigan.

Mrs Wilson said he is feeling nervous about the haircut and believes his hair may be a different colour afterwards, as it is darker underneath.

He may decide to grow his hair long again afterwards.

“He said he thinks he will feel really light and different when he has had his hair cut,” she said.

“I will probably cry when he has it cut. It’s so gorgeous. His hair is a perfect colour and in really good condition. It’s going to make a lovely wig.”

Joseph is continuing to collect sponsorship and donations for Cancer Research UK.

There have been collections at Spring View Cricket Club and the Silverwell pub in Scholes, and Joseph’s older brother sold trifle shots on a night out to boost funds.

To make a donation to support Joseph, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Lorraine-Wilson10