Cilla Black’s funeral date announced

Cilla’s funeral will be held next Thursday (20 August), at St Mary’s Church, Woolton, followed by a private ceremony at Allerton Cemetery, the same cemetery where her parents are both buried. Pal & TV show star Christopher Biggins told how Cilla’s family & buddies have been getting ready to provide her an enormous send off in that she deserved.

The Right Reverend Thomas Williams will conduct the service, which he said is due to be held at 1pm.

Her late husband and manager, Bobby Willis, was cremated in 1999.

“Once again the family have asked for their privacy to be continually respected at this hard time”.

But yesterday it was confirmed that fans and well-wishers were welcome to see Cilla off in a public funeral service. Her own funeral will be even sadder for those closest to her. The sudden nature of her death will have hit everyone so hard. “She was a much-loved icon and her funeral will be intensely grief-stricken”.

Cilla, who grew up in the Scotland Road area of Liverpool, emerged from the city’s music scene and found fame in the 1960s.

“She ranks alongside people like Ken Dodd and The Beatles”.

The famed singer died on August 2 at the age of 72 after suffering from a stroke.

Her body was flown back in preparation for her funeral last Saturday. “The tributes and condolences have really helped us through these hard times”.