TRIBUTES have been paid to East Coast FM community radio station presenter David Stirton, who has died tragically at the age of just 35.

The popular presenter suffered a fatal heart attack just two days after covering the Haddington fireworks display live on air.

East Coast FM boss Ian Robertson said David’s death had left staff at the Haddington-based station devastated.

He told the Courier: “We are all still in shock. David was such a fantastic guy, always smiling and always the first to volunteer for things.

“He was very active and we still cannot believe he’s gone. Our thoughts are with his wife Rebekah.” David, from Tranent, worked for Royal Bank of Scotland and had presented his Friday night Feel Good Factor show for three years.

He had not only presented live coverage of the Haddington fireworks display on Saturday, November 1, but had spent the previous evening volunteering at the Corn Exchange during a Take That tribute concert.

David was a keen badminton player and his death came as a shock to everyone who knew him. Fellow presenter Jamie Michael Wells said David’s passing had been hard to take in.

A nine-minute tribute to David was posted on YouTube by friends following his sudden death on Monday, November 3.

And colleagues at East Coast FM took part in a special show in his memory last Friday, at the same time as David would normally have been on the airwaves.

Boss Ian said the station planned to erect a plaque in David’s memory at their studios and had asked a young volunteer to take over his show, keeping the show’s name as a tribute to the popular presenter.

Ian said: “David and Rebekah were both such supporters of East Coast FM, always getting involved and volunteering, and it seemed right to ask a youngster to take over David’s show in his memory.

“It will remain the Feel Good Factor, and Michael Parker, who has taken over, covered for David on the odd occasions when he was not there so it seemed fitting it was him.

“David will be very much missed by everyone at East Coast FM and who knew him.”