A young man with a big barnet is giving his beloved locks the chop for Cancer Research UK.

Marcus Wohlgemuth loves his hair. It is integral to his character and friends have never known him without it.

So when the 19-year-old from Playford Road, Sprowston, got the urge to do something selfless, he saw one clear-cut way of making a commitment.

Mr Wohlgemuth said: 'I have plenty spare, so why not? I was going to donate blood, but am scared of needles. This is the only way I can commit really, I am an organ donor as well so this is not much of a stretch.

'I love my hair, it is me. I am tall and my friends can spot me in the crowd. They are like 'where is the hair?', I get called afroman and so on.

'They have only ever seen me like this. When I said I would go fully bald, people said they would pay to see that.'

The former Sprowston High School pupil, who studies at Canterbury Christchurch University, will film the ordeal on Saturday and put it on his youtube channel, where he is known as monkey mash1.

As an added incentive he offered to straighten his hair - which has been getting in his eyes and ears as he has not had a trim for months - before the cut if donations exceeded �150. The amount now sits at �320.

'Last time I straightened it I looked like a caveman,' said Mr Wohlgemuth.

'It grows back pretty quick, or at least it used to. If it does not I will be pretty annoyed!'

The wild-haired one is even donating his chopped mop for wigs for cancer sufferers who have lost their hair.

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/thatvideobloke