TRANENT DJ and fundraiser Davie Martin got a big shock at the weekend when a surprise party was thrown for him. . . and the funds raised will send him to Australia to see family.

Held at the Eskmills Venue in Musselburgh, hundreds turned out to support the Radio Saltire veteran and ensure he could go and see his brothers Down Under.

It was a complete surprise to the charity hero, who has raised thousands of pounds for causes such as Marie Curie and Rachel House.

“I could greet every time I think about it. I’m just speechless,” Davie told the Courier.

“There was folk there that I never would have expected to see there.

“Wee Jack [Robertson] had to hold me up when I walked in.

“I never even got the chance to go and speak to everyone. I just filled up whenever I looked around the room.

“It’ll live with me forever.”

Davie’s sister Frances Duncan was part of the brains behind the secret operation and told the Courier: “David has done a lot of charity [work] over the years and raised thousands of pounds – the community thought they would do something for him.

“There were no seats left in the place. It felt like the whole of East Lothian was there.

“He was totally taken aback and totally shocked. He wouldn’t take anything that was given to him at first, he refused it.”

The party was set up by Davie’s twin sister Trisha Draper, his nephew Jerry Draper, as well as Robin Draper and Lauren Blyth.

However, planning and executing the party might turn out to be the easy part for the family, as Davie is still coming to grips with the gift.

“He won’t accept it but I think his wife, Mhairi, has convinced him to go – but she told me it’ll still be hard work getting him on the plane,” Frances said.

“It’s still been a ‘no’ since Sunday. He keeps saying the money raised should go to charity or that it could be going towards a better cause. That’s just what he’s like.”

“There’s much better causes,” said Davie. “We’ll probably donate a fair bit of money to charity.

“If I had known about it I would have cancelled it, so maybe that’s why they didn’t tell me,” he said.

“It’s not that I’m not grateful, don’t get me wrong. It just shows you what our community is like. Not a week goes past where someone wouldn’t help you out.”

While out in Australia, Davie will spend time visiting his three brothers Michael, John and James.