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Sir Jimmy Savile: Hundreds gather for DJ's funeral | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Family and well-wishers are gathering in Leeds city centre ahead of the funeral of Sir Jimmy Savile later. | |
About 100 family and friends are at the Queen's Hotel where his gold-coloured coffin has been on public display. | |
His niece told relatives they could only access a private room to view his body, on production of a Jim'll Fix It badge. | |
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the Requiem Mass at Leeds Cathedral, from 14:00 GMT. | |
A cortege will travel through the city before the service, passing Sir Jimmy's childhood home and Leeds General Infirmary. | |
Royal Marines soldiers will be pallbearers for the service. | |
He is to buried in Scarborough on Thursday with his green beret presented by the Royal Marines in the 1970s after a speed march 30 miles across Dartmoor. | |
Maj Blair Illingworth, officer commanding the Leeds detachment of the Royal Marine Reserve, said he would be treated as "one of our own". | Maj Blair Illingworth, officer commanding the Leeds detachment of the Royal Marine Reserve, said he would be treated as "one of our own". |
Sir Jimmy will also be buried with a Help for Heroes wristband because of his support for the armed services over the years. | Sir Jimmy will also be buried with a Help for Heroes wristband because of his support for the armed services over the years. |
He often worshipped at the cathedral, sitting quietly at the back of the building in a duffel coat, according to John Grady from the Leeds Diocese. | |
"He'd say 'I'm not the star here, people come to pray to Jesus'," Mr Grady said. | "He'd say 'I'm not the star here, people come to pray to Jesus'," Mr Grady said. |
Those attending the service, which can seat up to 700 people, will include former Conservative minister Lord Tebbit and DJ Mike Read. | |
Flowers have been sent by the Bee Gees. | Flowers have been sent by the Bee Gees. |
Eulogies will be read by Sir Jimmy's nephew Roger Foster, his friends Howard Silverman and Neil Littlewood and representatives from Leeds General Infirmary and Stoke Mandeville Hospital. | Eulogies will be read by Sir Jimmy's nephew Roger Foster, his friends Howard Silverman and Neil Littlewood and representatives from Leeds General Infirmary and Stoke Mandeville Hospital. |
Mr Foster, one of the family members organising the funeral events, said he was "overwhelmed" by the public response to his uncle. | Mr Foster, one of the family members organising the funeral events, said he was "overwhelmed" by the public response to his uncle. |
"He would go to celebrity functions but in his life he always chose to mix with ordinary, everyday people," he said. | "He would go to celebrity functions but in his life he always chose to mix with ordinary, everyday people," he said. |
Sir Jimmy died at his home in Roundhay, Leeds, on 29 October. He was 84. | Sir Jimmy died at his home in Roundhay, Leeds, on 29 October. He was 84. |
On Tuesday, fans travelled from across the country to see Sir Jimmy's coffin, which was covered with white roses. | On Tuesday, fans travelled from across the country to see Sir Jimmy's coffin, which was covered with white roses. |
On Thursday, Sir Jimmy will be buried in one of his trademark tracksuits. | On Thursday, Sir Jimmy will be buried in one of his trademark tracksuits. |
He will be set at an angle of 45 degrees at a cemetery in Scarborough "to enable him to see the sea", funeral director Robert Morphet confirmed. | He will be set at an angle of 45 degrees at a cemetery in Scarborough "to enable him to see the sea", funeral director Robert Morphet confirmed. |
The coffin will tour Scarborough, where he had a home, to give people there the chance to pay their respects before Sir Jimmy is laid to rest in the most elevated plot in the cemetery. | The coffin will tour Scarborough, where he had a home, to give people there the chance to pay their respects before Sir Jimmy is laid to rest in the most elevated plot in the cemetery. |