Family, friends and fans will gather to give Cilla Black a final send off at the church where she married her beloved husband Bobby Willis in 1969. The funeral will take place on Thursday, 20 August at St Mary's Church, Woolton in the showbiz darling's home city Liverpool.
After the service the singer will be laid to rest in a private ceremony next to her parents at nearby Allerton cemetery.
© Photo: Getty ImagesCilla Black's funeral will be held at St Mary's Church, Woolton
Cilla and Bobby were inseparable until his death from lung cancer in 1999. He acted as his wife's manager and had given up the chance of his own pop career to support the flame-haired chart-topper. After his death their eldest son Robert took over as her manager.
Until earlier this week he and his brothers had remained at the holiday home in Spain where Cilla died after falling and suffering a stroke. The boys made arrangements for their mother's body to be flown back to Britain on Friday.
Cilla had holidaying near Marbella with her eldest son when she passed away. He went to check on his mother after becoming concerned that she hadn't emerged from an afternoon nap. Robert forced the door open to his mother's room, where he found her lying outside on the sun terrace. The entertainer had sadly passed away by the time paramedics arrived.
© Photo: RexCilla Black and Bobby Willis at their wedding day in the church in 1969
His younger brothers Ben and Jack flew out to help him organise their mother's repatriation.
In the wake of her death, the boys released a statement saying: "We are devastated by the sad loss of our mother, but have been deeply touched by all the kind messages of support from her friends, fans, the public and media.
"We would like to thank everyone, especially the people of Liverpool. The tributes and condolences have really helped us through these difficult times."
