DUDLEY folk were treated to the hair-raising sight of intrepid Nia Parker having her head shaved in public by her mum Rachel this week - but it was all for a worthwhile cause.

The 15-year-old Castle High schoolgirl shed her locks to help boost funds for Cancer Research UK on June 28.

The feat took place in full view of Saturday shoppers at the charity's Castle Street shop.

Rachel admitted: "I had mixed feelings about it. At first I thought, oh my God, I can't believe Nia's doing this - but at the same time, it made me very proud."

Rachel, a long time volunteer with Cancer Research, is also a qualified hairdresser and runs Rachel's Hair Design in Wolverhampton Street.

She claimed: "Nia came home from school one day and told me they weren't doing their Race for Life this year, so could she have her head shaved for Cancer Research instead. It was a bit of shock to say the least.

"She said that if Steven Sutton could do things - then so could she.

"At first we were going to do the head shave at my salon, but people might have thought it was a bit of a publicity stunt, so we decided to it at the Cancer Research shop instead.

"I thought it was going to be difficult to persuade Nia to sit in the shop window and have people staring at her as she's normally quite shy. But by the time it took place, Nia was quite excited about it.

"We raised £160-21p on the day by just passing a charity box round".