SHE had striking red locks – but teenager Alex Simpson took the bold step to go bald for a good cause.

The 16-year-old took the decision to have a buzz cut to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, after her father Steve had a heart attack.

The close shave took place outside the charity’s shop in Wote Street, Basingstoke – and it was proud dad Steve who wielded the clippers.

Passers-by could not fail to notice what was going on as Steve used a PA system to tell everybody what was about to happen.

Afterwards, Alex, a hair, beauty and make-up student at BCoT, said: “It was terrifying and it looks a bit weird. It is going to take quite a bit of getting used to but it will grow back quickly.

“I had been thinking about having my head shaved for a while because I was bored, and then it just felt like the perfect excuse to do it for charity after my father had his heart attack.”

Dog walker Steve, 52, of Worting Road, Kings Furlong, Basingstoke, is now recovering from the heart attack, which took place at home on February 25 this year.

He said: “I had just gone indoors when I had pains in my chest, so I contacted the NHS hotline, which was a godsend.

“They got a nurse to phone me, she got a doctor to call me, and I was told I needed to get myself to Basingstoke hospital. I got there, and within an hour and a half I had an angioplasty.”

He added: “The head shave is a fantastic thing to do and I am intensely proud of her.”

Shoppers donated cash adding to the £600 Alex had already raised. To donate, visit justgiving.com/hairforhearts.