A hair salon has opened at a hospice in Cornwall to help cancer patients cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.

The treatment means many patients lose their hair and the salon, at St Austell's Mount Edgcumbe Hospice, gives advice on hats, scarves and wigs.

Stylists are also available to help people whose hair is re-growing.

Several hundred cancer patients a year are expected to seek the help of staff at the salon, which is called "Look Good, Feel Good".

Although you try to be brave about it, to lose all your hair is quite traumatic

Marjorie Hartwell

There had been a temporary service in the hospice's day care lounge.

But the salon is fully equipped and is to be a permanent feature.

For cancer patients, hair loss can be a severe blow to their morale.

Marjorie Hartwell suffered from ovarian cancer and lost her hair after chemotherapy.

Now it is growing back and she is grateful for the advice of staff at the salon.

She said: "It means a lot because, although you try to be brave about it, to lose all your hair is quite traumatic and you don't think it's going to come again. "

"But for the ladies to make you more presentable, it was really good."

More presentable

Ward sister Nettie Goodwin said the salon will be a great help for patients.

She said: "They can talk about how they feel, and they can get practical advice on how to cope with that loss."

It is not only women who get advice. Hairdresser Shirley Talbot says men have sought help.

Shirley said: "I've done a couple of gentlemen who were really pleased with their hair because they had felt bad.

"But we make them a bit more with it, put a bit of gel on and make it look more presentable."

A member of the hospice staff, Lesley Gronwalt, raised nearly �4,000 towards the cost of the salon.

The new salon will be open seven days a week.