An eleven-year-old boy from South Ealing has helped raise over £2,000 for food banks in Ealing and Hounslow by shaving his hair.

Sam, who was nine years old when he came up with the idea to grow his hair for charity, said he thought he would raise about £50.

His cut and shave has since helped raise £2,235 and counting.

Special guest Santa Claus visited the Magpie and Crown pub in Brentford on Sunday to carry out the hair cut.

Proud dad Ricky Edmonds told Nub News Sam was "a bit confused" by all the attention he's received as a result.

"He can't understand what the fuss is all about," said Ricky. "His mates and mum and dad are proper proud of him."

Sam, aged 11, who has two sisters and three brothers, started growing his hair in the first lockdown.

Ricky said: "He's been growing his hair for two years now after we came out of the first lockdown, he said he had to do it for charity and it just got longer and longer.

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"He's just that kind of kid, he comes out with things you wouldn't expect.

"It was getting cut for charity and that was that."

Sam's hair was donated to the Little Princess Trust who provide real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions.

As of Sunday, Sam raised £678 through crowdfunding and the Magpie, with the help of the Wallace Bell Foundation, matched this to add a £500 donation to the Hounslow FoodBox and a £500 donation to the Ealing FoodBank.

His JustGiving page currently stands at £865 with donations from the public and is still active and taking donations.

To mark the event on Sunday, the Magpie pub organised a big family fun day with Christmas stalls, music and a raffle where a further £430 was raised.

The event kicked off a month of fundraising at the Magpie for Hounslow Community FoodBox, organised by pub landlord Scott Illman.

The Magpie and Crown will also be hosting a Christmas wreath making workshop this Sunday as part of the big weekend Brentford Christmas Celebration.

Hounslow Foodbox will have a stall at the Sunday market in Brentford Market Square and will be welcoming donations of food, toiletries, festive treats such as selection boxes, toiletries sets, and small new toys and treats for school children.

Well done Sam and everyone involved!