Family and fans give Ozzy Osbourne emotional send-off
Ian Youngs
Culture reporter
Watch: Sharon Osbourne arrives at tribute to husband Ozzy in Birmingham
Ozzy Osbourne’s family have accompanied the rock legend’s coffin on an emotional final journey through his home city, watched on by thousands of fans who cheered and chanted his name.
A tearful Sharon Osbourne added a pink rose to dozens of tributes left by fans in Birmingham, consoled by family members including children Kelly and Jack.
The large crowd of onlookers created a highly-charged atmosphere, giving the heavy metal star a respectful but fittingly raucous send-off as they chanted: “Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!”
The funeral procession was led by a brass band playing Black Sabbath songs, with Ozzy’s body transported in a hearse topped by a purple floral tribute in the shape of a cross.
A private funeral is expected to take place on Thursday.
“Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!” Crowd chants and Sharon responds with peace sign
The procession took place a week after Ozzy’s death at the age of 76, and less than a month after his triumphant farewell concert for 40,000 fans at Villa Park football ground.
On Wednesday, the cortege drove past the stadium and his childhood home before heading into Birmingham city centre, where fans wearing Ozzy and Sabbath T-shirts and scarves lined Broad Street. Some threw flowers, and spontaneous chants and singalongs erupted in the crowd.
As it happened: Birmingham pays tribute to Ozzy OsbournePA Media
Sharon was supported by Jack and Kelly
PA Media
She laid a flower alongside dozens of others that have been left by fans
The procession stopped on Black Sabbath Bridge, where a bench bearing images of the band’s members has been turned into a makeshift memorial.
Over the past week, fans have been leaving flowers, messages, empty beer bottles and even bat-shaped balloons – a reference to the infamous 1982 incident when the rock hellraiser bit the head off a bat on stage.
EPA
A purple bat balloon flew over the tributes on Black Sabbath Bridge
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Kelly, Sharon and Jack viewed the tributes on the bridge
When Sharon emerged from her car, she had support – both physical and moral – from Kelly and Jack, who were either side as she placed her rose on the existing bed of floral tributes. Kelly and Jack also laid flowers, as did sister Aimee, and Louis, Ozzy’s son from his first marriage.
They were joined by other family including his grandchildren and Kelly’s fiancé, Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson.
Family members hugged as they spent five minutes looking at the tributes and taking in the crowd.
Fans shouted their support, with cries of “We love you Ozzy!”, “Ozzy forever!” and “Sharon we love you!”
Sharon acknowledged the fans by raising her arms and giving peace signs before getting back into a people carrier and the cortege continued past more mourners.
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Purple flowers spelled “Ozzy” in the hearse
One fan, Pete Coles, from Nuneaton, said there were mixed emotions in the crowd.
“Some people are here to celebrate and remember the good times and their past memories of him. But respect for Ozzy, I think, is the main thing that I felt here,” he told BBC News.
“Just to be here is a pleasure, to embrace the atmosphere that’s here, with all the emotions and people just here to sing the praises of this legend in music.”
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Advertising screens showed the message “Ozzy forever, Birmingham Will Always Love You”
Eddie Hayes, 19, travelled from Newcastle for the event. “People like Ozzy will never be around again,” he said. “He’s purely an individual. No-one like him, no-one will ever be like him music-wise and personality-wise.
“I’ve travelled three or four hours, but it’s all worth it just for those five minutes.”
Another fan, Will Brain, 27, from Worcester, said the procession was “quite poetic”.
“It shows how many people loved him and how many lives he touched with his music,” he said.
“It was really emotional. Seeing the family and seeing Sharon and how upset they were, that was quite hard to see.”
