By Adam Dutton via SWNS
A real-life mini “Rapunzel” has broken a record for the world’s longest hair on a child – after growing her flowing locks more than one meter (3.2ft).
Anastasia Karasjova, from Coventry, was born with a full head of hair and her parents couldn’t bear to chop off her tresses as she got started to get older.
The five-year-old schoolgirl’s hair currently measures 42 inches (107cm) long and her mother says classmates affectionally see her as a ‘real-life living doll.’
Mom Angela Rusu, 36, applied to Guinness World Records initially but was turned away as the only hair categories they have are for teenagers and women.
Instead, the mom-of-one applied to the International Book of Records who confirmed she had beaten a previous record holder, from New Delhi, India, by 20cm.
Anastasia now holds the record for longest hair for a five-year-old and also for the youngest person to have hair of that length.
Angela, who lives in Coventry, said: “When I gave birth she already had very long hair and I thought it was unusual for it to be so long.
“I am Christian Orthodox so when you go to church for the first time you cut their hair. Then cut it again when they are one.
“Then after that, she continued to have very long hair, I didn’t want to cut it again and then boom – it just didn’t stop.
“She has been like that from a very young age. I think it’s just genetics.”
Angela had to submit videos and photographs as well arrange for a witness to be present for the measuring to ensure the accuracy for the world record attempt.
She says Anastasia, who is nonverbal and autistic, hasn’t been able to put down her medal since officially achieving the record on July 5.
Angela, a factory worker, added: “They sent an email confirming it was a record and then afterward we got a medal and everything in the post.
“I tried for Guinness World Records but I got an email from them saying they don’t have a category for ages like that, just teenagers and women.
“They ask a lot of things. They wanted a video and a photo. Then they wanted more, I had to send one with the hair curly and then straight.
“We had a friend come and witness her hair when we measured.
“It’s 42 inches long, but officially it’s 40 inches because I didn’t straighten her hair so I lost two inches. It’s still growing, but I don’t know how much.
“It was in the summer when the Olympics were on TV and she clapped when the athletes were awarded their medals.
“Then she got her own medal. She was very happy, she didn’t want to take it off. She even wanted to sleep with it.
“She’s got a lot of friends in school. At her age they see her as a doll, like a real-life doll, they see her as a sweet thing.
“They say ‘Mummy mummy, it’s Anastasia, the girl with the long hair’. They look after her.
“I see this as a gift from God. It’s what she has, so why take it from her?
“All kids with special needs are special and God gives them other talents or blesses them in different ways.”
Asked whether she’ll leave her daughter’s hair to carry on growing, Angela, who lives with partner Roman Karasjov, 29, a Jaguar Land Rover worker, added: “In time maybe, lets see.
“It depends if she wants to keep it or cut it off.
“If we can cut it and donate for kids who don’t have hair, like cancer victims, then in the right moment we might. I’m not sure at the moment.”
