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Keith Flint funeral: The Prodigy fans to line streets Keith Flint funeral: Prodigy fans urged to 'raise roof'
(about 2 hours later)
A "large number of well-wishers" are expected to line the streets ahead of the funeral of The Prodigy star Keith Flint. Fans of The Prodigy have travelled from abroad to pay tribute to frontman Keith Flint.
Essex Police said it was expecting sizeable crowds to gather along the procession route through Braintree in Essex from 15:00 GMT. Well-wishers from the Czech Republic and the Netherlands were among those arriving in Braintree, Essex, before a funeral procession through the town.
Local schools will be closing from midday to allow pupils and parents to escape the anticipated traffic chaos. Floral tributes from America were also placed outside St Mary's Church in Bocking, where the musician will be laid to rest at about 16:00 GMT.
Flint, 49, was found dead at his home near Dunmow on 4 March.Flint, 49, was found dead at his home near Dunmow on 4 March.
His bandmates have called on fans to line the route to St Mary's Church in Bocking and "raise the roof for Keef". Essex Police said it was expecting "a large number of well-wishers" to line the streets after Flint's bandmates called on fans to "raise the roof for Keef".
On Twitter, The Prodigy said "there will be speakers relaying the ceremony outside the church for everyone to hear". Before the ceremony began, fans of the band began to gather to pay their respects.
Anyone wishing to lay flowers or tributes has been asked to send them to the church by 14:00. 'Like losing a mate'
Marie Lelicova, 25, travelled from Prague to remember Flint, whom she said she had "loved since she was a child".
"He is part of my life," she said. "He is the person who showed me the way to live. I wanted to say goodbye and say thank you."
Braintree resident Rachel Moore told how she had "grown up" listening to The Prodigy and said the band "put Braintree on the map".
"They made us proud of where we came from," she said. "Their music underlined our upbringing."
Rob Reilly, manager of The Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey - which Flint used to run - also told how the musician's Firestarter ale had been put back on tap as a tribute to him.
Another Braintree local Gary Dring, 35, attended the funeral procession in the boiler suit Flint wore in the 1992 Outer Space video.
Branding him "a legend", Mr Dring said Flint was "one of my all-time heroes" and he had been "gutted" to hear of his death.
"Growing up listening to his music got me through good and bad times," he said. "It's like losing a mate but that's why we're here today, to give him a good send-off."
In a statement, Essex Police urged local residents "to be mindful of potential delays".In a statement, Essex Police urged local residents "to be mindful of potential delays".
The procession will arrive the church at 15:30, where a service will be held for family and close friends.
Local schools closed from midday to allow pupils and parents to escape the anticipated traffic chaos.
It said: "The roads will not be closed throughout the course of the procession so as such, we would ask drivers to avoid the area and find alternate routes where possible.It said: "The roads will not be closed throughout the course of the procession so as such, we would ask drivers to avoid the area and find alternate routes where possible.
"The church service at St Mary's will be for family and close friends of Mr Flint."The church service at St Mary's will be for family and close friends of Mr Flint.
"Fans and members of the public are asked to respect the privacy of Mr Flint's loved ones during this difficult time.""Fans and members of the public are asked to respect the privacy of Mr Flint's loved ones during this difficult time."
The procession will start from Courtauld Road in Braintree, near the roundabout of Railway Street and Coggeshall Road.
It will continue along Bradford Street then left into Church Lane (B1053).
The procession will finish at St Mary's Church at 15:30, where a service will be held for family and close friends.
Flint was born in Redbridge in north-east London and his family moved to Braintree where in 1990 he co-founded The Prodigy with Liam Howlett and Leeroy Thornhill.Flint was born in Redbridge in north-east London and his family moved to Braintree where in 1990 he co-founded The Prodigy with Liam Howlett and Leeroy Thornhill.
In recent years he had run The Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey, near Braintree.
The Prodigy, who had been due to tour the United States in May, released their latest album No Tourists in November and had recently been on tour in Australia.The Prodigy, who had been due to tour the United States in May, released their latest album No Tourists in November and had recently been on tour in Australia.
If you are struggling to cope, contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or please click on this link to access support services.If you are struggling to cope, contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or please click on this link to access support services.