Ozzy Osbourne's family join fans in Birmingham for emotional farewell

Qatar Tribune

a day ago

DPA
London
Ozzy Osbourne's family joined fans in paying an emotional farewell to the heavy metal star on Wednesday during a procession in Birmingham.
Sharon Osbourne, who was married to the musician for more than four decades, became emotional as she stepped out of a car to view the hundreds of floral tributes and balloons laid around the Black Sabbath bench.
The former X Factor judge, 72, was helped out of the first vehicle in the cortege by her and Ozzy's son Jack, who joined her at the event along with their daughters Aimee and Kelly - who all raised their hands in a peace sign while paying their respects.
The family members wiped away tears at the bench as they inspected tributes, with members of the crowd shouting 'we love you Ozzy.'
Sharon and her children carried a pink rose, wrapped in black paper tied with a purple ribbon, that they laid on top of the many other floral tributes that sat next to a poster of the star, which said 'Birmingham will always love you.'
Sharon kissed the flower she was holding before laying it in the middle of the tributes.
The hearse carrying Osbourne's coffin passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, at about 12.45 pm (1145 GMT) on its route into Birmingham city centre.
Flowers were placed outside the terraced property, close to Villa Park, while the owners of the house put up a picture of Osbourne in the front bay window.
The Jaguar hearse and six Mercedes funeral cars, accompanied by police motorcycle riders and a police car, drove slowly along the street on Lodge Road, watched by a handful of fans and the current owner of the house.
The hearse, adorned with purple flowers spelling out 'Ozzy' and a cross on its roof, then made its way down Broad Street before stopping at the Black Sabbath bench.
Musicians from Bostin Brass played Black Sabbath songs to accompany the cortege, and fans threw flowers at the hearse while it slowly passed through the city.
Fans also left tributes outside a mural on Navigation Street, which was created ahead of the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park, which took place a few weeks ago.