AFTER the outrage caused by American dentist Walter Palmer, who killed Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe, a Pershore dentist decided to sacrifice her own "mane" to help animals.

Dr Raquel Ila Juarez, well-known among her patients for her long tresses, decided to shave her hair short to raise money for the RSPCA. She was sponsored by patients and colleagues at Oasis Dental Care and hopes to raise at least £500 for her sacrifice.

Dr Ila Juarez was recently married and waited until after her wedding to remove her locks. "I have decided to donate my hair to the Little Princess Trust," she said. "This is a charity that provides wigs for children who have suffered hair loss through cancer treatment."

The extraction was performed, without anaesthetic, at Studio 4 in Pershore by salon owner Sam Grant while dental nurses Vanya Ilieva and Sophie Baker, plus practice manager Keeley Smith added moral support.