Birmingham bids farewell to Ozzy Osbourne, with thousands attending the funeral procession.

The final farewell to heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, came from thousands of people in his hometown of Birmingham, amid music and applause, in a funeral procession that was a celebration, just as the 'prince of darkness' had requested in an interview some time ago.

The hearse, which wound its way down a packed Broad Street on both sides, was preceded by a fanfare of young local musicians singing some of the late Black Sabbath frontman's most beloved songs. "Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, oi oi oi" was the chant from the multi-generational crowd that accompanied the procession until the culminating moment of the public ceremony, which took place on the Black Sabbath Bridge, named after the famous rock band Osbourne fronted in the 1970s and 1980s.

His widow, Sharon, laid flowers among the many left by fans and tearfully read the tributes alongside her children, Kelly, Aimee, and Jack. Birmingham Mayor Zafar Iqbal said the procession was a way to "pay homage and say goodbye to one of the city's greatest living legends."

The private funeral will take place tomorrow at a church in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, near Osbourne's home, with family and friends, the other original members of Black Sabbath (Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward) who performed for the last time with Ozzy on July 5th at a farewell concert in Birmingham, and several music stars, including Elton John, Metallica's James Hetfield and British singer Yungblud.