THE parents of a child who will be in hospital for an operation over Christmas are aiming to spread some festive cheer on the wards.

Tara Hewitt and Ste Appleton’s eight-year-old son, Kenzie Appleton will be in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for an operation just a week before Christmas Day.

Kenzie, from Sutton, suffers from Perthes Disease, which affects the blood flow to his femur bone and has one leg two and a half inches longer than the other.

The Sutton Oak School pupil underwent his first operation to treat the condition in February 2012 and has been a regular patient at Alder Hey going in and out for updates and is going back for a second operation in December.

Tara and Ste aren't certain whether Kenzie will be in on Christmas Day itself yet but they are hoping the donations will give a lift to the children being treated in hospital over the festive period with their 'Donate a Teddy/Toy for Christmas' appeal.

“When Kenzie went to have his cast taken off after his first operation two years ago at Easter they had an appeal and staff had donations to all the children so we’ve come up with the same idea,” said Tara, a volunteer at Kenzie’s school.

“On November 1 the moment we had all been dreading had arrived, another letter to say Kenzie will be back for another operation just before Christmas.

“That's when we realised he won't be the only child there at Christmas time. So we came up with the idea.”

Tara and Ste are looking for as many new teddies and toys as possible to give to the Alder Hey Children’s Charity to be distributed to children on the wards on December 18.

Local shops have offered to collect donations and people can drop toys and teddies off at any of the following:

Mr Barry's Outlet, Parr Stocks Road, KnM Dancewear, Cambridge Road, Tom Newman Roofing Specialist, Jackson Street, Woodlands Hotel, Woodlands Rd, House of Elegance, Ellamsbride Rd, Blades Barbers, Peckers Hill Rd,

Fresha's Cafe and Victoria Sandwiches, Junction Lane, Ortanic Glow, Waterdale Crescent, Silhouette Dance School, Boundary Road, St Marys Market cafe, Sutton Oak School, Goodban Street,

Eccleston Golf Club, Millennium Motorcycles.