Ozzy Osbourne funeral cortege to travel through Birmingham

Fans will be given a chance to pay their respects to heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne when his cortege travels through his home city of Birmingham.

The Black Sabbath singer’s body will be brought back for a procession that will travel along Broad Street in the city centre from 13:00 BST on Wednesday.

A hearse will make its way to the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench where thousands of fans have left messages and floral tributes. Local musicians Bostin’ Brass will accompany the procession.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: “We’re going to pay our last respects and homage to one of the greatest living legends of Birmingham.” Osbourne died aged 76 on 22 July.

His death came less than three weeks since he took part, along with his band mates, in Black Sabbath’s farewell gig, Back to the Beginning. Dozens of musicians including members of Metallica and Aerosmith performed at the Villa Park concert.

The event, which takes place ahead of a private funeral, will allow his family a chance to see the many memories his loyal fans have left alongside flowers and tributes, the council said.

Describing him as a “son of Birmingham”, Iqbal said: “He put Birmingham on the map. He put Aston on the map.”

He said he had stood in a queue to sign a book of condolence, where he had spoken to fans, and said: “The love they showed for Ozzy and his family was immense.”

The city was proud to host the event, he said, and added he was grateful the family had offered to pay to enable it to happen.

People from as far away as Mexico, the USA and Poland have since travelled to the city to add to a sea of flowers and messages at the Black Sabbath Bridge.

Broad Street will be closed to traffic from 07:00 BST on Wednesday with trams and buses diverted throughout the day and will reopen as soon as possible after the event, a city council spokesperson said.

Osbourne and his fellow Black Sabbath band members Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler were given the Freedom of the City in June, before the farewell gig.

The city council said it had worked “at pace” to coordinate the event in collaboration with the family, who had funded all of the associated costs.

It said for those not able to make the event, the live stream of the Black Sabbath bench would continue to operate and could be viewed online.

Fans and members of the public who wish to pay their respects can also visit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where a book of condolence is open, alongside the Ozzy Osbourne Working Class Hero exhibition, which was opened by Sharon Osbourne last month.

Other tributes in the city include the Black Sabbath Mural on Navigation Street; Ozzy the Bull at New Street Station, and The Station pub – a recently-listed building that is globally recognised as the birthplace of heavy metal, where Black Sabbath first played in 1968.