THE family of a brave little boy with a rare genetic condition are raising money to buy him a life-changing bed so he can sleep safely in hospital.

William Goodson has Angelman syndrome - a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and causes severe physical and intellectual disability.

The condition means the three-year-old will never talk and he requires support in the hopes of one day being able to walk.

Over the past two years the ambulance service have been called out to his Messing home more than 40 times and he has spent countless days in healthcare facilities including at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To help make life easier for him mum Emma and dad Andrew are fundraising to purchase a UR Zone bed, which can be used on trips to hospital as well as to visit family members away from home.

Mrs Goodson said: "We have one at home for William but we desperately need one for when he goes away or goes in to hospital.

"It comes with a travel mattress which means he is perfectly safe inside. He will not overheat and he cannot get out.

"At the moment we have to stay half awake all night and when he is awake we have to be too.

"It is quite a big thing for us. The bed will give us piece of mind and it will be life-changing."

UR Zone beds cost around £6,000, which the family, who just welcome second son Eli into the world, cannot afford.

A charity has agreed to put up half of the money and so they have decided to fundraise for the rest.

"It is a lot of money to find," Mrs Goodson said.

"I have done fundraising events for Angelman UK before but we've not asked for help with something like this before."

For his bravery in the face of adversity William, who lives in Messing, was highly commended in the Child of Courage Pride of Essex Awards last month.

He was nominated by hundreds of supporters who follow his progress on mum's Facebook page Angelmum.

Mrs Goodson said: "Given we didn't think he was going to make the ceremony as he stopped breathing for four minutes it was amazing to get the award.

"He is on a new diet which has improved the length of time between ambulances and hospital stays.

"We went 14 weeks without an ambulance, sadly then we had three in a week, but then he went another 11 and a half weeks without one.

"He is such a brave little boy and he bounces back so quickly.

"He can be in hospital for a procedure then a couple of hours later he is back to his normal happy self.

Visit facebook.com/emsjg or donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/william-goodson.