Bristol schoolboy Connor Jones enjoys running around and playing football like most boys – but unlike his friends has to be careful of knocks and cuts.

He has a form of the bloodclotting disorder haemophilia, which means he has to be taken to Bristol Children's Hospital if he bleeds heavily.

And because he has plenty of experience of the specialist children's centre, Connor, 10, and his family are backing the hospital's latest fundraising appeal.

Bristol's Big Give is a three-day fundraising campaign that will start on Thursday.

GWR's Bush and Troy will broadcast live from the Children's Hospital on December 11, 12 and 13, giving listeners more of an insight into the work that goes on there and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael's.

Connor, from Staple Hill, was diagnosed with haemophilia B, or Christmas Disease, when he was born.

His mum, Julie, knew there was a chance her son might be a haemophiliac because her brother also has the condition, and could not take him home until he had been tested.

The disorder means Connor does not have a clotting factor that would usually stop bleeding from a cut and he needs injections of factor IX – the protein he lacks – to deal with bleeds.

"Connor likes his football and plays for his school and Downend Saints, and he needs to stay fit and healthy," said Julie, 46.

"Sometimes he can have a knock and he is fine, others it is a minor knock and he will have a bleed.

"Connor seems to be having more recently because the other boys at football are getting bigger and stronger and the knocks are getting harder.

"If they get factor IX in him he should be fine, unless he suffers head injuries and then we would have to take him into hospital."

Until last month Connor had to go into hospital for these treatments, but in November he had an operation to install a device so that he no longer needs to have a new needle put into his vein every time he needs more factor IX.

It meant a longer stay in hospital, but now Connor helps his mum prepare the factor IX treatment when he does have bleeds.

"When I go in I think "oh no, I'm back again" but then I get in there everyone tries to get it all over as quickly as they can," said Connor.

"There is a ward with lots of play stuff and quite a lot of game consoles which I like.

"When I stayed in for a bit I had a teacher who did work with me and did some fun stuff as well."

Julie, who works in a school office, said: "Everyone at the Children's Hospital has been fantastic.

"They are great with him and keeping children happy and informed of what is going on.

"Connor is fine, the only pain he goes through is with needles, and hopefully now that has been cured because of the port-a-cath being fitted.

"There was plenty to keep him occupied when he was in hospital, including making a birthday card for his sister Chelsea.

"The care and consideration is very high for everyone."

Bristol's Big Give is a joint initiative run by the Grand Appeal, University Hospital's Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the site, and GWR.

It is based on work carried out by an American charity, where it has raised millions for hospitals, and is hoped to be a success in Bristol.

For more information call 927 3888 or visit the websites at www.bristolsbiggive.org.uk or www.gwrfmbristol.co.uk.