A DJ is celebrating entertaining the people of Hartlepool for 30 years with a special party to help transplant athletes.

Gavin Lancaster’s Higham Discos has been bringing the party atmosphere to birthdays and community events since 1996.

He will celebrate the milestone with a special party in March which will also be raising important funds for the Newcastle Children’s Transplant Team.

Gavin’s eight-year-old daughter Poppy is a member of the team, which takes part each year in the national Transplant Games, having received a life-saving kidney transplant three years ago.

Gavin Lancaster is celebrating 30 years of Higham Discos.

placeholder image — Gavin Lancaster is celebrating 30 years of Higham Discos.

He said: “It’s a bit of a milestone. How many businesses as small as mine can say they have been going 30 years?”

Gavin started the business when he was just a teenager studying marketing at college.

As part of an assignment, he was tasked with inventing a business and Higham Discos was born.

He learned his craft as a volunteer at a radio station and helping a local DJ before going on to stage his own events.

Poppy Lancaster, eight, is due to compete in this year's Transplant Games at Sheffield in August as part of the Newcastle Children's Transplant Team.

Gavin, 46, who has always done other jobs alongside his disco business, added: “Very quickly I found this niche doing kids’ parties and have done it for many years now.

"I’ve never stopped since.”

He is supported behind the scenes by his wife Becky and in recent years has been joined at gigs by his eldest daughter, Gabby, of Starlight Crafts.

The celebration event, limited to around 100 guests, will feature Gavin’s nephew DJ President Fox, weird wizardry magic by Hartlepool’s Ian Jay and a set by local singer Ruby.

There will also be face painting and raffle and tombolas to help raise money for the transplant team.

Gavin added: “To get Poppy and the rest of the team, and those of us as families, to the Transplant Games every year is not cheap.

"There’s travel, accommodation and registration. Everything is getting much more expensive.

"It’s about as close to our hearts as you can get. So if we can raise a few quid in one afternoon to help the team get a little bit closer to getting us there then that will be great.”

Places for the fundraiser are free but limited. To inquire, contact Gavin via Facebook.