A WEE COUNTY teacher went head to head with a razor last week, after being inspired by the bravery of a pupil battling leukaemia.

Youngster Ezmae Hill walked around every classroom at Craigbank Primary School after the summer and explained why she had lost her hair.

So moved was her teacher Chris Poole that he decided to let the eight-year-old shave his head on Friday, October 5 in front of whole school.

He also started a fundraiser for CLIC Sargeant – a charity which helped the P4 pupil's family during her treatment at Glasgow's Royal Children's Hospital.

Speaking ahead of the event, Chris told The Advertiser: "She came round and just told everyone exactly what was going on, and it was dead impressive.

"I thought it would be nice if she wasn't the only person in the school without any hair."

Chris laughed as he described how the eight-year-old had been teasing him about shaving his head in the days leading up to the event.

He said: "Ezmae was very much looking forward to it. She kept on stopping me in the corridor and saying things like: 'Two days to go.'."

When asked if he would miss his long, black hair, he joked: "I think so, yeah – it's getting colder this time of year."

Young Ezmae and her parents Nicola and Jason were all touched by the fundraising offer.

They were also delighted with his fundraiser to support CLIC Sargent's work, and described how it had helped them during their daughter's treatment.

Nicola said: "We just thought it was amazing. It's a great gesture to make for her.

"We were at the hospital in Glasgow, and of course there's room in the rooms there for one parent to stay, so I was staying with her on the ward - but it meant my husband was having to travel backwards and forwards to Glasgow.

"So the charity helped us with a room for him to stay in, in a big shared house."

When asked if Ezmae had been excited to shave her teacher's head, Nicola said: "Definitely. She was up at the crack of dawn this morning because she knew it was happening, so she was really excited about it."

CLIC Sargent provides a wide range of support services to children and their families following a cancer diagnosis.

The brave pupil said: "There was only two beds in the hospital, and there was only a bed-chair. So [the charity] CLIC Sargent gave my dad a room in a flat.

"Mr Pole decided to shave his head for CLIC Sargent, and it was really nice of Mr Pole to do that."

Anyone wishing to add to Chris' fundraising total can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/chris-pole