VIDEO: Inspired by Captain Tom, Killamarsh schoolboy braves the shave for NHS

Charlie Bradbury, from Killamarsh, got the chop after being inspired by the fundraising of Captain Tom Moore, who has raised millions for the health service by walking in his Bedfordshire garden.

Charlie was born with a rare heart condition and has since had four operations.

However, so inspired was he by Captain Tom's example that yesterday he had his head shaved to raise money for the brave NHS staff battling coronavirus.

Charlie's step mum, Louise Brown, said they were all ‘very proud’ of him.

She said: “I shaved his dad's hair the other day and Charlie just said to us he wanted to do something for the people who looked after him – like that old man did.

“Obviously we spoke to his mum first before we did it but he looks wonderful!

“He said he likes it but he is a bit obsessed with the way he looks like they all are these days so he doesn’t want to keep it like this all the time.”

Shortly after he was born, Charlie was rushed to hospital in Leeds and was given just a one in ten chance or survival.

He has since had open-heart surgery four times and will probably one day need a new heart.

Louise said that the fund currently stands at £860, with more money coming in all the time.

“The money has mainly come from friends and family but some has come from people we don't know since the page got shared on Facebook,” she said.

“And one of Charlie’s friends even put in £5 of his own Christmas money which is really sweet.”

All the proceeds from Charlie's brave shave will go to NHS Charities Together, an umbrella organisation which funds a wide variety of health service causes.

It is the same charity that is benefitting from the fundraising of 99-year-old Captian Tom, who has now raised £27m in a matter of weeks.

To find out more or donate to Charlie’s fund, visit www.facebook.com/donate/248220389920003/10222283745710497.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to The Star website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit https://www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor