A group of Folkestone youngsters are fundraising to help rebuild slums in one of the poorest areas of Mexico.

The team of 17 – including four youth leaders – will be heading out to the Tijuana region at the end of March to help with the Rebuild Mexico project.

One of the leaders, Barney Ridgwell who runs the The Mill youth group from the Millfield Centre in Cheriton Road, has taken a brave step to boost their fundraising coffers.

He let his five-year-old niece, Evelyn Plaskett who goes to Lympne Primary School, loose with a pair of scissors and let her do whatever she wanted to restyle his hair.

And in a bid to encourage people to give to their cause, Barney says for every pound raised he will add an hour to the time he keeps the do.

The clock started ticking on Saturday, February 13 and the total is at £368 which equates to just over 15 days.

Barney, 30, said: “That’s the aim to try and keep it going as long as possible. The more money added will be more hours.

“I was slightly worried for my job and asked ‘will you still employ me’ when I walked into the office.

“People see while I’m walking around and ask.”

While the team are out there they will build brand new solid houses for families who currently live in the Baja California slums.

They will be in Mexico for 11 days and will be able to hand over the keys when they are completed giving the families their first ever set of house keys.

The team needs to raise £11,900 to get out to Mexico and have raised two thirds of their target so far.

Each individual is contributing £650 themselves and must raise the same amount in fundraising events to cover costs and building materials.

Barney added: “The project is set up primarily to change lives, bringing a hope and a future to the families living in dire poverty, subsequently, changing the lives of the team of young people we take out there who are challenged and impacted by the experience.

“It’s part of my job to come up with creative ideas and ways of engaging young people.

"I love involving children in projects that may seem a little unusual or pushes them out of their comfort zone.

"It’s amazing what children are capable of and they’re not always given the chance to fully express their abilities.”

To donate to the project and find out more go to mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/barneyridgwell1