A six-year-old girl has raised nearly £1,000 for research into a rare disease in memory of her friend's baby sister.

Isabelle Alldis, who lives in Borehamwood, had 12 inches shorn from her hair at Sharkies Cuts for Kids in Watling Street in Radlett on Saturday.

In 2012, her best friend Holly Lewis lost her 14-month-old sister Anna to Alpers’, a rare and incurable genetic disease that affects babies and young children and leads to dementia, seizures, liver disease and death.

Isabelle, who attends St Giles School in South Mimms, has already raised £950 in sponsorship and her mother Laura Krantz expects the total will be higher.

She said: “I’m very proud indeed of Isabelle. Cutting her hair of was completely her idea. She was very touched by Anna’s death and still speaks about her a lot.”

The money raised will go to the Anna Lewis Brighter Future Fund, set up by Anna’s mother Jess to raise money to help researchers at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital find a cure.

In addition, the hair cut will be donated to The Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs from real hair for children suffering from cancer.

Ms Krantz thanked the hairdressers for cutting Isabelle’s hair for free, and for everyone who gave money.

She added: “Isabelle really wanted to do her bit to help after Anna’s death; she is hoping the money she has raised will mean other families will not have to suffer the loss of a child in the same way.

“She looks very pretty and grown up with her new hair style, though she keeps touching it and saying, my hair’s all gone.”

To sponsor Isabelle, visit www.justgiving.com/isabellecutsherhairforanna