The tragic tale of six tiny kittens left for dead beside the river Trent has inspired a nine-year-old Lincolnshire schoolgirl to make a dramatic change in aid of a leading cat charity.

Amelia was moved to cut off 21 inches of her much-loved hair to raise cash for Cats Protection’s Sleaford and District Branch after hearing about how they rescued a bag of abandoned kittens.

Volunteers were alerted when a man in a mobility scooter heard their pitiful cries coming from inside a bag beside the river Trent in Newark, Nottinghamshire. Unable to reach them, he called a passer-by who untied the bag and found the kittens. Clearly cold, they were wrapped in a hoodie and rushed to the care of the local charity.

Ruth Philp, Branch Fundraising Team Leader, said: “The kittens were crying and distressed when they came in. They were scrawny and wet and were covered in fleas.

“Our priority was to gently warm them up, so they could be fed and treated. As their eyes had only just opened, they were judged to be about a week old. It was a desperately sad case.”

Sadly, their efforts came too late for the weakest two kittens who died the next day. The other four were transferred to experienced fosterers but, despite the very best care, three more died within the week.

That left one remaining kitten; Braid, a feisty little girl who is being hand-reared by Amelia and her mother, an experienced volunteer.

At only 300g, Braid is small but mighty – and she has built quite a following for her video updates on social media (@SleafordCP), hashtagged #TheHairstyles.

Cat-lover Amelia a third-generation supporter of the Sleaford and District Branch, following in the footsteps of her mum, aunts and grandmother, who all actively volunteer for the charity.

As well as raising cash for cats, the hair will be donated to the Little Princess Trust, who provide wigs to children and young people who have lost their hair during cancer treatment or other conditions.

Donate to Amelia’s appeal at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sleaford-catsprotection3