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Dame Vera Lynn: Cortege and flypast for Forces' Sweetheart | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A village procession has begun as Dame Vera Lynn's family, friends and fans say goodbye to the Forces' Sweetheart. | |
Her funeral procession through Ditchling is being accompanied by a Battle of Britain flypast by two Spitfires over the East Sussex village at midday. | |
Dame Vera died last month at the age of 103 and her funeral is being held at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton. | |
Hundreds of people gathered to await the arrival of the cortege. | |
Representatives from the Royal British Legion stood with flags as they waited to honour Dame Vera. | |
The funeral procession will stop shortly at the crossroads in the centre of Ditchling to allow those who live there to pay their respects. | |
At the scene | |
Peter Whittlesea, BBC News | |
Every lamppost in the narrow streets of Ditchling bears a large poppy. | |
Union flags flutter in the breeze and shop windows display portraits of the woman who became known as the Forces' Sweetheart. | |
Camera crews and photographers descended on the village along with servicemen and women who have come to pay their respects. | |
It is a fond farewell for Dame Vera. | |
A private service at the crematorium chapel is expected to include a bugler from the Royal Marines providing music. | A private service at the crematorium chapel is expected to include a bugler from the Royal Marines providing music. |
The family said a full memorial service would be held at a later date. | The family said a full memorial service would be held at a later date. |
A tribute was paid to Dame Vera as a picture of her, accompanied with a video, were projected on to Dover's white cliffs ahead of her funeral. | |
The lyrics of We'll Meet Again appeared as the music was played across the Channel. | |
The projection on to the 350ft cliffs was visible to ships and planes and could also be seen from the main road and from some back gardens. | |
The singer was best known for performing hits such as We'll Meet Again to troops on the front line. | The singer was best known for performing hits such as We'll Meet Again to troops on the front line. |
Dame Vera, who had sold more than a million records by the age of 22, was also remembered for singing The White Cliffs Of Dover, There'll Always Be An England, I'll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings. | Dame Vera, who had sold more than a million records by the age of 22, was also remembered for singing The White Cliffs Of Dover, There'll Always Be An England, I'll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings. |