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Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Amy Winehouse family and friends attend cremation

Fans and reporters beseiged the entrance of the Golders Green crematorium
The family and friends of Amy Winehouse have paid their final respects to the singer at a crematorium in north London.
The cremation in Golders Green followed a private service held at Edgwarebury Cemetery in Edgware earlier.
Music producer Mark Ronson and TV star Kelly Osbourne were among the famous faces at the two services.
Osbourne and others were seen wearing their hair in Winehouse's favoured beehive style.
Reporters and fans besieged the entrance of Golders Green Crematorium as Winehouse's friends and relatives arrived for her cremation around 1400.
Traffic driving by the crematorium slowed as pavements swelled with police, onlookers and members of the media.
Kelly Osborne at Amy Winehouse's cremation Osbourne (centre) wore her hair in the beehive style Winehouse made famous
As the mourners gathered there was no sign of Winehouse's body arriving.
Unconfirmed reports said a private ambulance carrying her remains used another entrance of the building.
Mourners have now moved on to Southgate Progressive Synagogue in north London for a private gathering.
The family will hold a two-day Shiva - a traditional period of mourning in the Jewish faith - for the late soul star.
Hayley, 27, from Watford was among the fans who travelled to Golders Green to pay their respects.
"She was the same age as me," she told the BBC. It's just a waste, but she left us with some great music."
Her friend Jay, 20, also from Watford, added: "She had style, she was so individual.

In contrast to Amy Winehouse's life, her family was keen for today's services and funeral to be as private as possible. But despite this, much of today mirrored the years when she was seldom out of the public eye.
Media and fans crowded outside the crematorium in north London where her friends and family had gathered. Traffic was held up as TV crews from across the world set up in the street. Photographers perched on ladders to try and see over the crematorium walls. While journalists and fans peered into the tinted windows of cars as they drove into the grounds of the building.
Since her death, the area outside Winehouse's Camden home has been the focal point for both grieving fans and media. And her family has said they appreciate the support of both.
Still, they clearly wanted today to be a day to remember the person, rather than the celebrity. But her unique appeal to the public meant that today felt like so many when she was at the height of her fame.
"It's so sad she had her life in front of her. She was different to other celebrities."
'Great stories'
At the earlier service, Winehouse's father Mitch read a eulogy that ended with the words: "Goodnight, my angel, sleep tight. Mummy and Daddy love you ever so much."
According to a family spokesman, Mr Winehouse "told some great stories from childhood about how headstrong she was".
"He stressed so many times she was happier now than she had ever been and he spoke about her boyfriend and paid tribute to a lot of people in her life."
The service, which was led by Rabbi Frank Hellner and included prayers in English and Hebrew, ended with a rendition of the Carole King song So Far Away.
Mr Winehouse said the song had been a favourite of his daughter's and that they had often sung it together.
Photographers and reporters lined the road as guests arrived for the service, which began at about 1230.
Between 300 and 400 people attended, according to family friend Alfie Ezekiel, 55, from Essex.
Mr Ezekiel said the service had been "joyful" and "very moving" and had "celebrated" the 27-year-old singer's life.
'Beautiful song bird'
Tributes continue to be paid to the award-winning singer, whose body was found on Saturday at her home in Camden, north London.
Winehouse's goddaughter Dionne Bromfield, who was signed to the singer's record label, said she "felt like a part of my soul has departed with the beautiful song bird Amy".
Lizo Mzimba reports on the funeral of singer Amy Winehouse
Winehouse joined the 15-year-old on stage last week during a gig at the Roundhouse in Camden and encouraged the audience to buy Bromfield's album.
Singer George Michael wrote on Twitter that the late star "the most soulful vocalist this country has ever seen".
In a posting on her website, Adele said Winehouse had "paved the way for artists like me and made people excited about British music again".
An inquest into Winehouse's death was opened and adjourned until 26 October at London's St Pancras Coroner's Court on Monday.
During the two-minute hearing, an official read out the name, birth date and address of Winehouse, described as "a divorced lady living at Camden Square NW1".
"She was a singer-songwriter at the time of her death and was identified by her family here at St Pancras this morning," said coroner's officer Sharon Duff.
The scene of Winehouse's death, she said, "was investigated by police and determined non-suspicious."
A post-mortem examination also took place on Monday. No cause of death has yet been given.
Results of further toxicology tests could take up to four weeks.
The singer won widespread acclaim with her 2003 debut album Frank, which saw her nominated for the Mercury prize.
But it was 2006's Back to Black which brought her worldwide stardom, winning five Grammy Awards.
Amy Winehouse - facts and figures

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