Cilla Black mourners urged to make donation to children's hospital

Mourners wishing to pay tribute to the late entertainer Cilla Black have been asked to make a donation to a children's hospital in her name.

The 72-year-old singer will be laid to rest in her home city of Liverpool on Thursday, following a funeral mass at St Mary's Church, Woolton.

A donations page has been set up online allowing people to pledge money to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

The London hospital opened in 1852 and has since become one of the world's leading children's hospitals, with the widest range of specialists working under one roof.

It aims to raise more than £50 million every year to help care for the thousands of children treated there.

Black died earlier this month after falling at her home in Spain.

An inquest into the death of the Blind Date and Surprise Surprise star heard that she died accidentally after falling and hitting her head at her villa on the Costa del Sol.

Fans are expected to give Black, who always held the city in great affection, a warm send-off.

Her family have asked that mourners line the two-mile route using the whole length of Woolton Road as far as Blackwood Avenue, ahead of the 1pm service.

She will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Allerton Cemetery alongside her parents.

The singer made a posthumous comeback to the UK music charts last week with her compilation album The Very Best Of.

The greatest hits collection, first released in 1983 and then most recently re-released in 2013, landed its highest chart position as fans paid tribute.

It was Black's highest charting album since Sher-oo in 1968, according to the Official Charts Company.

Her former number one single Anyone Who Had A Heart, first released in 1964, also returned to the charts in 41st place, marking its highest chart position in 51 years.

:: Those wishing to make a donation to the Great Ormond Street charity can visit https://www.justgiving.com/inmemoryofcillablack.