Cilla Black funeral: Stars including Sir Tom Jones, Carol Vorderman and Paul O’Grady pay their respects

Remembering: Christopher Biggins, Paul O'Grady and Andre Portasio pay their respects to Cilla Black
Ray Tang/Rex
Jennifer Ruby20 August 2015
The Weekender

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Fans lined the streets of Liverpool as the friends and family of late star Cilla Black arrived for her funeral.

Life-long showbiz friends including Sir Tom Jones, Carol Vorderman, Paul O’Grady and Jimmy Tarbuck were spotted arriving at St Mary’s Church in Woolton on Thursday afternoon.

Speaking outside the church ahead of the service, Tarbuck said: “It's just sad she's far too young to have left us. All I remember Cill for is laughter like yourself.

“I've known her since we were kids, from about 14."

Cilla Black's Funeral

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Two of black’s closest friends O’Grady and Christopher Biggins were pictured remembering the star inside the church, before both got up to give readings.

Sir Cliff Richard, who had known Black for decades, was also seen arriving ahead of his rendition of Faithful One inside the church.

Performance: Sir Cliff Richard sings Faithful One during the service 
Ray Tang/Rex

Speaking ahead of his performance Sir Cliff said: "I cannot think of Cilla in the past tense.

"I feel really privileged that I met her and I feel really privileged to have known her as a friend. She had the determination, and of course, above all, she had the gift."

Regailing the crowd with an anecdote from a trip the pair took together in the Caribbean, he added: "She slid out of the car… and that’s when I realised, she did have beautiful legs."

Showbiz friends: Carol Vorderman and Lorraine Chase
Ray Tang/Rex

He added: "I know all of our souls will be reunited together… Cilla, this is just a hiccup in our relationship."

After reciting a passage from The Bible, Biggins said: "We will always love you, Cilla."

Tarbuck then lead the congregation in prayer, descibing his friend as "Liverpool's Cinderella."

In his closing speech, O'Grady said: "I firmly believed that Cilla was indestructible and was adamant that I would go first with my heart. I absolutely adored her."

Accidently mixing up the cities, he said: "It’s so right that she’s comes home today because as Robert said she was a true daughter of London, Liverpool... sorry Cilla!"

"I’m so grateful that she let me into her whirlwind of a life and we spent the last two decades hell-raising."

The comedian continued: "I don’t know what I’m going to do really. The light when off a couple of weeks ago and it hasn’t come back on."

The late entertainer’s sons Robert, 45, and Ben, 41, have also given readings dedicated to their late mother today.

Hundreds of fans lined the two mile stretch of the funeral cortege route after being respectfully asked not to gather at the church.

Well-wishers left flowers, balloons and mementos for the much-loved entertainer.

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