A Devon woman has become the world record holder for the longest hair donation after shaving her head.

Ruth Tripp said she donated 67 inches (170cm) of hair to The Little Princess Trust- a charity which makes real-hair wigs for children with cancer and other conditions.

She has also been awarded the title of Guinness World Record (GWR) holder for the largest single donation of hair by a woman.

Ms Tripp, 38, an accountant, said it was time to “chop off” her long hair when it reached the floor.

Ms Tripp, who is a mother of four, said children said she had “princess hair” which prompted her to donate to the charity.

She said it would take a “few hours” to dry every time she washed it.

“If I took my hair down while I was out, then children would say ‘mummy look at that princess hair’ and they would ask to have hair like that,” she said.

“That’s what children want, so I knew I should give it to someone else.

“I thought it would be better to give it away, so somebody could actually use it and make the most of it.”

Instead of opting for a bob hair-style, like many of the Little Princess Trust donors, Ms Tripp decided to shave her head to get the most out of her donation.

Wendy Tarplee-Morris, one of the founders of The Little Princess Trust, said: “We always encourage our supporters to grow their hair as long as they can as it helps us meet the demand for our popular longer wigs.”

Adam Millward, managing editor at GWR, said: “While breaking any record requires dedication and passion to some extent, certain feats call for something extra.

“In the case of the largest single donation of hair, arguably the most vital attributes are self-sacrifice and kindness.

“It’s a privilege for GWR to be able to celebrate these selfless hair-raising heroes as well as to champion the stellar work of The Little Princess Trust.”