Bonnie Tyler fans lined the streets of her Welsh hometown in their hundreds today as her coffin arrived.
The Total Eclipse of the Heart singer died on July 8 at the age of 75.
She underwent emergency intestinal surgery several weeks prior, after which she suffered a cardiac arrest and was placed in a medically induced coma.
As a result of the illnesses she was being treated for, Tyler died ‘unexpectedly’, her family said, at the hospital in Portugal, having long divided her time between Wales and her villa in Albufeira.
An outpouring of grief ensued after she died, with powerful scenes in Mumbles, Swansea, this weekend testament to her popularity.
While Tyler, whose real name was Gaynor Hopkins, died close to where she lived in the Spain-bordering country with her husband, Robert Sullivan, she was returned to the UK to be laid to rest.
A memorial procession took place as she travelled to her village of Fernhill.
While her coffin (draped with a Welsh flag and accompanied by a framed photo) was driven down the high street, crowds burst into applause and a rendition of her classic 1983 tune, Total Eclipse of the Heart, which is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Fans also threw roses and sunflowers onto Newton Road as the hearse made its way through and later left bouquets, artwork, and messages on the wall outside her house.
A private funeral will take place on Monday for her family.
Released by William Pressdee Funeralcare on behalf of Tyler’s loved ones, a statement said: ‘Resting at William Pressdee Funeralcare, Mumbles until she returns to her home, Fernhill, on Saturday 15th August at 3.30pm – those who wish to pay their respects are invited to line Newton Road, Mumbles from 3.15pm.
‘A Celebration of Gaynor’s life will be held at Swansea Minster (St. Mary’s Church) on Monday 17th August at 12noon.
‘Gaynor will then return to her “hometown”, and travel through Skewen at approximately 1.20pm en route to a private family service of committal and farewell.’
They added that Tyler’s legacy ‘lives on in the timeless songs that made her a legend’.
Tyler’s family has also invited fans to donate to two charities that she was a patron of in her memory. They are the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales and Cerebral Palsy Cymru.
When announcing that she had died, Tyler’s loved ones said they were ‘heartbroken’.
The Holding Out for A Hero hitmaker had been eager to hit the stage again for her European tour just before her death, having told Hello! not long ago that she was in good shape.
‘I’m fit enough at the moment, touch wood, and I’m really enjoying doing the shows,’ she shared.
‘If you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.’
She gave the interview in March, the same month she did her final performance at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.
Tyler was hospitalised in May for an operation for a burst appendix and perforated intestine and was admitted to intensive care in June.
After she came out of the coma, she remained ‘very unwell’, with her team saying her recuperation was a ‘slow process’.
She ultimately died less than a month after doctors said they were ‘confident that she will make a good recovery, but it is going to take time’.
Tyler rose to stardom with her debut album, The World Starts Tonight, in 1977, which boasted the singles Lost in France and More Than a Lover.
She became renowned for her distinctive husky voice and frequently topped the charts. She also won numerous awards and was nominated for three Grammys, cementing her status as a music icon.
Tyler married Sullivan, now 82, in 1973, and, since 1988, they have owned a five-bedroom home near Santa Eulália Beach in southern Portugal.
She had recorded one of her albums there in the late 70s.