WHEN Julie Tobin lost her hair during her battle against breast cancer, her sister knew what she had to do.

To show solidarity, Lisa Williams, of Chepstow Road, Newport, shaved off her crowning glory 24 hours later.

Julie, 32, was diagnosed with breast cancer two months ago.

Last week she began chemotherapy, so with the help of partner Sean Durkin, 41, she shaved off her hair.

"Sean has been fantastic, I don't think I know how I could have coped without him," said Julie.

When she told her sister she had done the deed, 34-year-old Lisa decided to follow suit.

"I told her not to do it, but she was taunting me down the phone saying 'can you hear the razor?'," said Julie, who lives in Hollyhock Close, Rogerstone.

"We always did look alike and we look even more similar now. "I think what she's done is wonderful."

Lisa, who is currently on maternity leave from Travis Perkins in Pill, Newport, said she decided on the radical new look to give her sister as much emotional support as possible.

"She sounded so upset on the phone saying that we don't look alike any more, so I thought to myself, 'why not?'," said Lisa.

"I texted her, saying 'You're not the only GI Jane!' and she phoned me again as my partner Steve Luckett was shaving it off.

"I think Steve particularly enjoyed it because he's got a bald head, too!" The two sisters confessed they were having a hard time adjusting to their new number one haircuts.

"It feels very strange and will take some getting used to," said Julie, who says she has had wonderful support from her family since her diagnosis. 'It's a lot easier getting out of the shower, though, when you haven't got to worry about tongs or anything like that," laughed Lisa.

Mum Christine Minchington, aged 54, from Windsor Road, Newport, said she couldn't be prouder of her two daughters.

"They have always been very close, and even as children they always did everything together. It didn't really surprise me," she said.