LAST night marked the end of an era for Musselburgh actor James Martin as his character Eric was killed off in the hit TV show Still Game.

But fans have a chance to own a piece of history as he is auctioning the script in aid of the Hollies Day Centre in Musselburgh.

Members of the public are getting a rare chance to bid for a personally autographed bound copy of Episode Two, with photos of the show, called 'The Demise of Eric'.

The souvenir script will be auctioned at a fish supper night in aid of the Hollies facility for pensioners next Friday (March 23) at which James will play a central role.

"My phone's never stopped and my text has never stopped since the episode went on air," said James, who admitted he "doesn't do computers".

His character, bookie-loving pensioner Eric Jones, was found slumped over the fruit machine in The Clansman pub after Craiglang's new undertaker Iain Duncan Sheathing appeared and touched him.

The episode then looked into Eric's past, revealing that decades previosuly he had an affair with famous Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida.

The show was created by Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, who play the lead characters Jack Jarvis and Victor McDade, two Glaswegian pensioners.

James, who is originally from Glasgow, explained: "The episode was filmed last July.

"I asked to be written out and the guys were a bit aghast.

"I said I will be 87 when it comes out and my birthday was Monday of this week. My wife Christine and I decided we were going to retire.

"I left Musselburgh in the morning to go to Glasgow and it was sometimes 12 hours filming."

Speaking about his last episode, he said: "In a wee bit bit of a eulogy, they mentioned the fact I was in the Navy and I was a firemen in Glasgow.

"They did me proud.

"I will miss Eric and I am tinged with sadness. He was always accident-prone, falling into ice and getting blown up by the hydrant."

Asked if there were any similarities between himself and the character, James said: "I'm not accident-prone but I am easy-going, always have been, and he was easy-going as well."

He added: "When we first started, after three or four episodes, there was a press conference and we were all introduced.

"Michael Hines, the director, said 'James brings a touch of reality to the show' because I didn't go to make-up."

James was originally cast in the sitcom having worked with Mr Hines, when he starred as the grandfather in Barmy Aunt Boomerang with Toyah Wilcox, who played a ghost.

One of the three children featured in the comedy series was Hollywood actor Richard Madden, best known for portraying Robb Stark in the smash hit HBO series Game Of Thrones and Prince Kit in Disney’s Cinderella.

Mr Martin has also appeared in the Glasgow crime series Taggart, where he played a murderer. He has performed Shakespeare for the Royal Lyceum, as well as radio excerpts from the work of the Russian playwright Chekhov.

But he is best known for his part in Still Game, having starred in the sitcom since it started in 2002, including New Year and Christmas specials.

Mr Martin said: "The banter was always really good."

James, a father of two and grandfather of three, took his grandson Michael Martin, from Glasgow, to see the filming of Eric's last episode.

James first came to East Lothian to work at Greywalls Hotel, Gullane, in 1974.

"They were building new studios in Glasgow and there wasn't an awful lot of work," he said.

"They were advertising for someone, a head porter. That's where I met my wife Christine, who was assistant manager. She was from Falkirk."

They couple moved to Port Seton, where they ran a general store, before making their home in Musselburgh, where James is a trustee of the Hollies, which runs services for pensioners.

Asked if he has fully retired from acting, he said: "I can pick and choose but, look at it this way, there aren't many parts for an 87-year-old."

Bids for the souvenir script can be made by emailing the Hollies at holliesmusselburgh@hotmail.co.uk or calling 0131 665 5613.