A FRIENDSHIP between two seven-year-old girls from York has led to one of them undertaking a hair-raising charity challenge.

Poppleton Road School pupil Eleanor Phillips, and Poppy Wadsworth, who goes to Poppleton Ousebank, have been firm friends since they were 18 months old.

Eleanor’s mum, Sharon, said Poppy has shown amazing courage having undergone extremely traumatic surgery to treat cloacol abnormalities, a birth defect which means her internal tracts are joined together.

Eleanor, who has been growing her waist-length hair since birth, has taken the decision to to have it cut short to raise money for charity.

Sharon, of Manor Drive North in Holgate, said: “Poppy and her mum, Alison, have been provided with amazing support and at Leeds General Infirmary where she has had her operations.

“Eleanor went to visit Poppy in hospital and, because I have raised money for charities before, she asked me about fundraising.

“She wants to play her part in showing her appreciation of the care that has been given to her friend and at the same time hopefully go some way to helping families in future who have little ones born with these conditions.”

In addition, Eleanor wants also to raise money for the Ann Conroy Trust which provides educational material about Syringomyelia and Chiari Malformation (CM) which are little-known neurological conditions.

Sharon’s best friend, Ange Fenton, suffers from CM, and has had to undergo painful brain and spinal surgery.

Sharon said: “Ange is my best friend and the condition means she suffers a lot of pain and headaches.”

Eleanor is getting her hair cut by Jess Morgan at Innovations on Boroughbridge Road on Tuesday April, 8 at 10.30am.

To donate go to the charity challenge’s fund visit the website: justgiving.com/Sharon-Phillips3 or alternatively, visit the page: justgiving.com/Sharon-Phillips4