Cliff Richard to sing at Cilla Black's funeral

Singer Cliff Richard will perform at late singer Cilla Black's funeral's opening with "Faithful one". TV host Paul O'Grady will pay the final tribute.

Black died on August 2 after hitting her head at her home in Estepona near Marbella in Spain. She was 72. The postmortem examination details released by Spanish authorities found that she died from a stroke caused by the fall.

The "Anyone who had a heart" hitmaker will be buried in her home in Liverpool, following a funeral mass at St Mary's Church, Woolton, reports mirror.co.uk.

Black's good friend and actor Christopher Biggins will give an emotional reading at the TV legend's funeral today.

The "Porridge" star will read from the book of Wisdom, while Richard will open the funeral with the song "Faithful One" and TV host Paul O'Grady will give a final tribute.

"It's fantastic that they're bringing her back to Liverpool, where she made her name and career, she met her husband, she made her family, she made everything here. And so my gorgeous, brilliant, talented friend is back home where she belongs, Biggins said.

"Liverpool people are extraordinary. All the Liverpool people I know are mad! And they're funny, in fact they're more than funny - they're hysterical. And they're so open, just like Cilla. Cilla would call a spade a spade, she didn't hold back and we had so many laughs, so many wonderful times - on holiday with her, working with her," he added.

Thousands of fans are expected to be there for the Black's funeral which will take place at 1 pm.