Thousands gather in Wales to pay respects as Bonnie Tyler's coffin returns home
Thousands of fans lined the streets of Mumbles, Swansea, to pay tribute to singer Bonnie Tyler as her coffin was brought back to her former home. The singer died unexpectedly on 8 July in Portugal at age 75.
Thousands of people gathered along Newton Road in Mumbles, near Swansea in south Wales, to pay their respects to singer Bonnie Tyler as her coffin was brought back to her former home in Llwynderw. The coffin was draped in the Welsh flag and accompanied by a framed photograph of the singer.
Tyler, whose real name was Gaynor Sullivan, died unexpectedly on 8 July in Portugal at the age of 75. She had split her time between the Algarve in Portugal and a large Victorian house near Mumbles overlooking Swansea Bay.
As the hearse passed, fans threw flowers onto it, and the crowd broke into applause before singing a rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart — one of the songs that made Tyler internationally famous, alongside I Need a Hero.
Among those present was 18-year-old Carys Edwards, who described Tyler as an inspiration whose music had touched countless people in Wales, adding that the singer always made sure to return home to her fans.
Some attendees travelled long distances to witness the procession, including a couple from Derby in England, as well as reported visitors from as far as Austria.
A public tribute
Other hits from Tyler's career included It's a Heartache and If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man). In 2013 she represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö with the song Believe in Me, finishing 19th.
A celebration of Tyler's life will be held on Monday 17 August at Swansea Minster, the Church of St Mary's. Entry will be limited to invited guests, but the service will be broadcast on a large screen in nearby St David's Square so members of the public can pay their respects. Afterwards, the coffin will make a final journey through her home town of Skewen, followed by a private gathering for family and friends.
Tyler grew up in a council house in Skewen with five older siblings. Following her death, then prime minister Keir Starmer called her an iconic figure and one of Britain's greatest recording artists. Tributes were also paid by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Cliff Richard.
