Pupil has hair shaved off to help Africans

A LONG-haired city school pupil has had his head shaved to raise money for an African charity.

Josias Harder, 13, who goes to Edinburgh's Rudolph Steiner School, lost his blond dreadlocks to raise money for Water Aid.

He chose the charity which provides clean water for Africans because his half brother and two half sisters are of African origin.

He hopes the hour spent getting his hair cut off will inspire others to take similar steps to raise money for charity.

The schoolboy said: "I was going to have all my hair cut off about a year ago but I was too shy and couldn't pluck up the courage.

"Then I found out about Water Aid, so I made my own sponsorship form and asked my friends at school to sponsor me. So far I have raised nearly £40 from my classmates alone but I am hoping that Edinburgh's residents might now like to help my campaign to improve water supplies in some of the world's poorest areas."