Mr Hearty, the British Heart Foundation's mascot, visited Cabot Circus to launch a new national appeal and encourage people to help the charity.

Through the Big Donation, Bristolians can empty their cupboards and fill shopping bags with good-quality, unwanted goods.

These will then be sold through BHF shops to raise money to tackle heart disease through research, education and care services for the area.

Volunteers from the charity will be on George White Street until August 23, and hope to fill 1,200 bags over the two weeks.

Visitors can fill bags with clothes, shoes, CDs, toys and books, and return the bags before the end of the campaign or drop them at their local BHF shop.

Darren Irwin, BHF area manager, said: "Everyone at BHF, from our volunteers to our cardiac nurses, work tirelessly in the fight against heart disease.

"But we rely on support from local people to continue helping heart patients. If everyone in Bristol fills up a bag, they will be helping to save lives in their community. It really is as simple as that."

One pair of good shoes could help a heart nurse provide advice to a caller on the Heart HelpLine.

Six handbags could fund a Heartstart UK training pack to teach people what to do in a life-threatening emergency, and nine books could fund an hour of scientific research to help find a cure for heart disease.

For more information, log on to www.bhf.org.uk/bigdonation