A hardworking hairdresser is on her way to raising £1,000 doing chops for charity on her days off.

Alex Leagas, owner of Rags salon on Westover Road in Bournemouth, has been opening on Mondays since the end of November, giving all the money from the haircuts to the British Disabled Waterski and Wakeboard Association.

She told the Echo she will hit her target in the New Year thanks to the generosity of customers, many of whom over paid when they realised the fee was going to such a good cause.

The 45-year-old from Lymington has a passion for water sports and works with the charity, coaching disabled people in the sport at her local centre at Ellingham Lake, Ringwood, and at the charity’s base, Heron Lake, at Wraysbury in Middlesex.

But after a difficult summer which saw Heron Lake closed for weeks with an outbreak of toxic blue green algae the charity has found itself in tough times and in need of extra fundraising support.

“There is so much good going on there I had to help – and I thought I’d stick to what I know,” she added.

Alex said she had been inspired by the people she has coached – from children with severely limited movement, to paraplegics and soldiers who’d lost limbs in warzones.

“I have learned so much from these people. Their grit and determination – to see how people progress through adversity is amazing.”