Children as young as eight months are marking their first haircut with a special trip to the hairdresser.

For just £5, Top Notch Hair Design in High Street, Gravesend, will cut children’s hair and present parents with a pouch containing that first precious lock, along with a certificate.

The keepsake is proving popular but, even though youngsters are given a biscuit and a sticker, it is not always an easy job.

Junior stylist Leah Ripley, 18, said: “We have to use the rollers to keep them amused because usually they start crying if they have people clipping each side of them.”

For some religions, a first haircut marks a significant milestone in a baby’s life. Muslim babies traditionally have their heads shaved and annointed with saffron; then the hair is weighed and the same weight in gold or silver is given to charity.