Bonnie Tyler's coffin was carried into Swansea Minster to the soundtrack of her own hit songs, as family, friends and fans gathered for the Welsh singer's funeral on Saturday. The service, conducted by Reverend Canon Justin Davies, began at midday after Tyler's white coffin, adorned with white roses and lilies, entered the church to If I Sing You A Love Song and It's A Heartache.
Emotional scenes outside the church
The hearse carrying Tyler's coffin arrived at Swansea Minster 10 minutes before the service began, met with applause from the crowd. Fans shouted 'goodbye' as the coffin, etched with symbols including a microphone and a treble clef, was carried inside. The streets of Mumbles in Swansea, where Tyler lived and was well-known among locals, had been packed with mourners earlier for the procession of her coffin to her home.
The Total Eclipse Of The Heart star, whose real name was Gaynor Hopkins, died in July at the age of 75.
Tributes from those who knew her
Roger Bell, the talent scout who discovered Tyler when she performed in a club in Swansea, paid tribute during the service. 'Gaynor was one of a kind. You always knew where you stood with her. She said it like it was. I'm sure there are a lot of us here that have experienced that,' he said. 'She was loved by millions worldwide, and has all the tributes, flowers, and cards from the Houses of Parliament, Prince and Princess of Wales, the Portuguese government, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, Suzi Quatro, and many, many more fans.'
Welsh broadcaster Roy Noble, who befriended Tyler after interviewing her, called it 'a great privilege' to be there but added: 'It's very sad indeed, and we feel for Robert, her husband. (She was) very down to earth and very much a family girl. She had a few more years left in her. She was 75 when she passed away, so it's an awful, awful shame.'
Musician friends remember Tyler
Welsh musician Mal Pope, a longtime friend, said it had been an 'emotional' weekend leading up to the funeral. 'She felt like a really local person and I think sometimes we forgot she was an international superstar. We recorded together, we performed on stage together, she'd come on my TV and radio shows, she would always turn up to support me and never ever ask for anything in return.'
The order of service also lists Bridge Over Troubled Water, Only Men Aloud, Total Eclipse Of The Heart, Those Were The Days and Making Love Out Of Nothing as other songs set to be played. Tyler's family asked that in lieu of flowers, people supported two charities of which she was a patron – Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales and Cerebral Palsy Cymru.
Final journey and legacy
Tyler will then be taken on a final journey through her hometown of Skewen, near Neath, at around 1.20pm, before a private family committal and farewell service. Swansea Council said the funeral procession will travel along Fabian Way to Ashleigh Terrace, through the village of Jersey Marine, Pen Y Heol, Burrows Road, Hen Hoel, New Road, Sidling Terrace, Park Avenue and Peniel Green Road.
Tyler died just months after she was placed in an induced coma in intensive care following emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal. She achieved international fame in the 1980s when Total Eclipse Of The Heart shot to the top of the charts in the UK and the US. She represented the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, with the song Believe In Me, finishing in 19th place.
