Hundreds of fans paid their respects to Prodigy front man Keith Flint at a funeral in Bocking today (Friday).
Some well-wishers arrived with spikey dyed green hair, in homage to Flint’s iconic look whilst others donned Prodigy t-shirts and carried flags, ready to line the streets around St Mary’s Church, where the service was held.
The funeral cortege made its way from Courtald Road in Braintree to the residential area of Bocking, with the service taking place at around 4pm.
Prodigy music blared from nearby pub The Retreat House with cupcakes even being handed out at one point, as fans, some in knee-length leather coats and others just in t-shirts and jeans congregrated on the green.
Music lovers came from as far afield as Wiltshere and Oxford to pay their respects to Flint, who was found dead at his home in North End, near Dunmow, on March 4.
Mother and daughter Christine and Ellen Jordan were among those to attend and had travelled from Staffordshire .
Ellen has seen The Prodigy nearly 40 times and had even travelled to India to see them perform live.
She said: “I got a backstage pass and met him last year and got him to sign my back. I love him. It’s a very surreal day, it’s a sad day.”
Christine, who introduced Ellen to the band said: “I have never known anyone like it. They are literally the best live band... the energy they bring to the stage. It is very surreal knowing we are not going to see him live again. He was very much loved and I don’t think he realised that.”
Lewis Knowles and Scott Cook had driven four hours from Wiltshire to pay their respects.
Lewis, now 31, has been been a fan since he was nine-years-old and has seen the Prodigy perform in Ibizia, Amsterdam, Germany and France as well as other places.
He said: “We have followed the band all around the world so its only right we follow them here.
“I begged my mum and dad to buy me their album The Fat of the Land, and that was all we listened to whilst driving around on holiday in France.”
Bocking resident Louise Pascoe had come less far than most.
Louise, who was standing with her family, including her daughter, nephew and niece, said: “I have lived here all my life and Keith used to live just across the bridge. I loved his music so I thought we would come and pay our respects.”
When asked what she thought about the atmosphere in the village and number of people outside the church, she said: “It’s amazing. It’s normally a really quiet little village. We also go to the church all of the time and the vicar is part of the school where our children go. He was in the news and he was handling it amazingly.”
Clutching a bouquet of roses and wearing sunglasses, June Uppal explained why she had decided to join the hundreds of fans.
“I don’t ever come to things like this. I just think The Prodigy are one of the good things about Britain today. Keith got a lot of people through dark times,” she said.
Fans watched as horse-drawn carriage carried the coffin outside of St Mary’s Church. Once mourners had entered the church, speakers broadcast the service for those outside.
During the service, Flint’s sister Sharon Roberts read out a poem whilst a eulogy was written by Martin Roach, and read by Paul Kaye.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here