SHE was a golden girl who inspired thousands of people in her short life.

Little Olivia Gallienne amazed everyone who met her with her fighting spirit before she lost her battle with cancer at the age of two.

But now her hairdresser mum, Katie, is adamant her daughter’s death is not in vain and has turned her salon gold for a month in her honour to raise funds and awareness for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Katie and the team at Alresford Haircare in West Street, Alresford, have dressed in gold, sold gold ribbons as well as cakes and a raffle, to raise £400 for CLIC Sargent.

Olivia, lost her battle in 2007 after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was just five weeks old.

The plucky two-year-old became the face of Southampton’s Race for Life after twice taking part in the event despite battling cancer, earning her a Cancer Research UK Little Star award for bravery.

“Olivia was such a character,” says Katie. “Even when she was at her worst she had a smile for everyone who met her.

“This seemed like a good way to raise awareness of what seems to be a very taboo subject still, which is very sad as childhood cancer is not as rare as people think and many children go undiagnosed for far too long.”