Cilla Black funeral: Celebrity pals Carol Vorderman and Christopher Biggins say goodbye to TV star

The service for the much-loved TV star and singer was being held at St Mary’s Church in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton.

Showbiz pals Biggins, due to give a reading at the funeral, and O’Grady, giving the final eulogy, arrived along with Gerry And The Pacemakers singer Gerry Marsden, comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and TV presenter Carol.

Singer Sir Tom Jones was also at the funeral, and said Cilla had the “common touch” and never forgot her working class roots.

“She was always happy and she always had the common touch which I feel I’ve got as well,” he said outside the church in an interview with Sky News.

“We come from working class people and she never forgot it, she was always the same.

“Showbusiness never affected her and I like that.”

Comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, who had been friends with Cilla since he was 15, said: “She was Liverpool’s Cinderella, if you wrote that story, that’s Cilla Black’s life.

“Unfortunately she’s left us too early, it’s dreadful.

“If you met Cilla you liked her, that’s nice to know, she was a delightful girl.”

The 75-year-old said Black would be remembered as “the girl next door, somebody’s favourite auntie, just a nice, nice person”.

Fans lined the street outside St Mary’s Church to pay their respects.

Margaret Heaton, 66, from Manchester said she was the first to arrive at barrier gates outside the church this morning – at 5.45am, eight hours before the funeral is to begin. Mrs Heaton brought her own floral tribute of white roses.

She said: “I brought her favourite flowers, cream roses. I have got very fond memories of Cilla and the 60′s, me and my friend, who I have lost, singing and dancing. Just fantastic memories. I just wish her family well. She will still always bring pleasure to our lives with her music.”

One of the first people outside the church this morning was one of Cilla Black’s neighbours from her childhood home in Scotland Road. Robert Ross returned to Liverpool today to pay his respects.

Mr Ross, 72, who now lives in Colwyn Bay, said: “She was the Queen of Liverpool she was. She will be sadly missed.”

Sam Leach, a club promoter says he gave Cilla her “big break” in 1961, said the star “made Liverpool proud”.

With his backing she booked her first gig at the Casanova Club in the city, and performed as Swinging Cilla.

As he arrived at church, he said: “She started with me in 1961. I was the King of Liverpool in those days. I started the Beatles and Cilla.”

The 79-year-old spoke of his emotions today as the city said farewell to one of its most famous daughters.

“It’s sad because here I am, and I feel guilty because I’m still here. But I’m sure she’ll be delighted by all the people making a fuss. She’s done Liverpool proud.”