Cliff Richard will sing at the funeral of Cilla Black in Liverpool today.
Cilla's longtime friend Cliff will be joined by her sons, Robert and Ben, as well as Jimmy Tarbuck and Christoper Biggins in giving readings at the funeral. Her close friend Paul O'Grady will give a tribute to Cilla.
Thousands of fans are expected to turn out and pay their respects in Liverpool.
Mourners wishing to pay tribute to the late entertainer have been asked to make a donation to a children’s hospital in her name.
The 72-year-old singer will be laid to rest in her home city, following a funeral mass at St Mary’s RC Church, Woolton at 1pm.
(Phil Cole/PA)
A donations page has been set up online, allowing people to pledge money to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
The London hospital opened in 1852 and has since become one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals, with the widest range of specialists working under one roof.
It aims to raise more than £50 million every year to help care for the thousands of children treated there.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)
Cilla died earlier this month after falling at her home in Spain.
An inquest into the death of the Blind Date and Surprise Surprise star heard that she died accidentally after falling and hitting her head at her villa on the Costa del Sol.
Fans are expected to give Cilla, who always held the city in great affection, a warm send-off.
(PA)
Her family have asked that mourners line the two-mile route using the whole length of Woolton Road as far as Blackwood Avenue, ahead of the 1pm service.
She will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Allerton Cemetery alongside her parents.
The singer made a posthumous comeback to the UK music charts last week with her compilation album The Very Best Of.
The greatest hits collection, first released in 1983 and then most recently re-released in 2013, landed its highest chart position as fans paid tribute.
(Carmen Valino/PA)
