英国五岁男孩雷恩·卡特(Rean Carter)的齐腰长发终被剪去_高清图集-By Paul Sims,17 March 2012

It took five years, grew 18 inches and cost his parents ￡4,200 in shampoo, conditioner and detangling spray.

But after being mistaken for a girl and called Rapunzel, five-year-old Rean Carter has made his first visit to a barber’s shop.

He went to his uncle’s aptly named hairdresser’s, Fellaz in Sunderland, to ask for a short back and sides because he was being teased at school.

Before and after: Five-year-old Rean Carter, who had not had his hair cut since he was born, has had his locks chopped for charity - and likes his new look

The youngster looks slightly nervous as he prepares for his first hair cut since birth

Last night his mother, party organiser Leeanne Smith, 30, told the Mail it was ‘heart-breaking to watch’ the ‘long and beautiful curls’ being cut off.

‘I was so upset,’ she said. ‘He’s had that hair for five years. There’s no putting it back now. He looks totally different – but he’s over the moon.’

She added: ‘He looks totally different. I took him into school and all his teachers saw him and said ‘Wow, Rean, don’t you look fantastic, what a gorgeous little boy you are’.

Like mother like son? Mum Leeanne Smith has said she was sad to see her son's curls cut

Big job: Rean Carter has had his locks shorn for charity after being teased at school

‘All of his friends were crowding round him. He was getting quite a bit of attention.

‘He’s over the moon. What’s more, he had the best night’s sleep.

‘Usually, I tie it back with a bobble but during the night it gets in his face. After getting his hair cut he slept like a log.’

Hair today, gone tomorrow: Rean thinks his teachers at school may struggle to recognise him now

Rean, who inherited his curls from his father, said he was pleased with his new haircut

Rean, who is donating the money he raised for having his hair cut to Sunderland Royal Hospital children’s unit, said: ‘I’m so pleased. My hair looks great. My teachers will recognise me.’ 

Matters came to a head when Rean returned home from school and told his mother, a party organiser, that he had been teased at school for looking like a girl.

His hair was so long it tumbled below the line of his belt and had to be tied up at school for health and safety reasons.

Rean's mother didn't want to cut his hair until he was teased at school for looking like a girl

‘I was doing the ironing and he began to cry,’ said Miss Smith, from Hylton, Sunderland.

‘He told me some of his friend had been nasty to him at school. Up until that point I just couldn’t bring myself to take him to the barber’s.

‘He had such long and beautiful curls I just couldn’t do it.

Mementos: Rean holds out his chopped locks after a visit to his uncle's barbershop

Time for a change: Rean was sick of being mistaken for a girl

Curls in the wind: Rean's hair flowed 'all the way down his back to his bum' and was 'very beautiful and soft'

‘But as soon as it started affecting Rean I knew we had to do something about it.’

Miss Smith, a mother-of-two, said her son inherited his curls from her partner, Neil Carter, 48, a painter and decorator who once sported a pink Mohican.

Now she faces another dilemma – should she let her other son, two-year-old Regan, grow his hair or head back to the barber’s shop?

Long locks: The salon staff size up the job of cutting off Rean's hair

No more Rapunzel: Rean appeared calm before having his long locks chopped off

Feeling lighter: Half way through his haircut Rean already seems to be enjoying his new look