A brave woman is raising awareness after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Charli Crowe, 28, was diagnosed in November. Since then the Lakenham woman has been determined to fight the disease, fundraise and take control.

Undergoing a single mastectomy and beginning chemotherapy this month, Mrs Crowe also launched a Facebook page to share her story and encourage people to check their breasts.

She said: 'If my little blog encourages even just one person to go to the doctors about a lump or any changes they find in their breasts, then I will consider this page a success.

The mother-of-two shaved off her hair to raise funds for the charities that have supported her.

She organised to have her headshave event at the Castle Mall, in Norwich, on a busy Saturday afternoon last month.

Wanting to donate her locks to Little Princess Trust, an organisation that makes wigs for little girls battling the disease, the mother-of-two was heartbroken to discover her locks were not long enough.

Mrs Crowe, said: 'I was absolutely gutted I couldn't donate my hair. I knew I was going to lose my hair anyway so it is the one thing I can control - when I will actually lose it.

'But before the event a woman from a shop called Dread Heads, in Norwich, contacted me and said we could put my hair into dreadlocks the day before my shave and then sell them and donate the proceeds to Little Princesses Trust.'

The painful process took six hours, however the 41 dreadlocks are being sold for £10 each, with £220 already being raised for Little Princesses Trust.

Shoppers at the Castle Mall donated around £150 during the headshave, which will be split between the Against Breast Cancer charity and the Big C.

She added: 'They are amazing charities and they have been so supportive. Being so young I thought I would have to go through it alone but through them I have been able to get in touch with people my age.'

- To follow Charli Crowe's story, visit: www.facebook.com/Charlisfight/

- If you have a story about a local person raising money for charity, email jemma.walker@archant.co.uk