Fans of Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler lined the streets of her former home in Mumbles on Saturday as her coffin was transported back to her former home ahead of her funeral on Monday.
The Total Eclipse Of The Heart musician, whose real name was Gaynor Hopkins, died in hospital in Portugal on July 8 at the age of 75. She will be laid to rest following a celebration of life service and procession. The singer will return to her home in Llwynderw from William Pressdee Funeralcare in Mumbles.
Crowds sing heartfelt rendition
Crowds burst into applause and sang a heartfelt rendition of Total Eclipse Of The Heart as Bonnie Tyler's coffin made its way through the Mumbles. The coffin was draped in the Welsh flag and accompanied by a framed photograph of the singer, while fans threw flowers onto the hearse as it drove down Newton Road.
Sarah Thomas, who lives in Swansea, is among those waiting to pay tribute to singer Bonnie Tyler. She said: "She's somebody that has been part of Mumbles life. She was just a really nice person. Just a normal person who happened to be famous."
Leanne Gwither added that the singer had "no airs or graces". Tony Firkins, a friend of Tyler and her family, said: "We've known her for years. She's a fantastic lady, very generous with her time. It's such a sad thing."
Funeral arrangements and legacy
Tyler's death came months after she was treated in intensive care after being placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery. Her family said a celebration of her life will be held at Swansea Minster (St Mary's Church) on Monday at noon.
In lieu of flowers, the family has invited donations in support of two charities of which Tyler served as patron: Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales and Cerebral Palsy Cymru. It was announced in May that the singer had been taken to hospital near her home in Faro for an emergency operation.
The singer achieved international fame in the 1980s with the release of Total Eclipse Of The Heart, which shot to the top of the charts in the UK and the US. Faster Than The Speed Of Night, the album which featured the track, was also a chart-topping success and landed the singer her only UK number one album.
Recognisable for her husky voice, Tyler released many other hits, including Holding Out For A Hero, It's A Heartache and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man). She represented the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, with the song Believe In Me, finishing in 19th place.
