Hundreds line the streets for The Wanted star Tom Parker in touching funeral procession
20.04.2022 - 13:37
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Hundreds of fans have lined the streets to mark their respects for The Wanted star Tom Parker, who passed away aged 33 on March 30 .
His funeral is taking place at St Francis of Assisi church in south-east London this morning (April 20), alongside a procession through Petts Woods. Outside the church, where his funeral is taking place, flowers spelled out the words “Glad You Came”, the title of The Wanted’s 2011 hit that went to number one in multiple countries.
The Bolton -born singer’s widow, Kelsey, whom he married in 2018, led a cortege featuring three black horses through Petts Wood in south-east London this morning (April 20). Flowers spelling out the word “Daddy” adorned the side of the carriage while a flowered sign that spelled the word “Tom” in red roses was attached to the front.
The dad-of-two was diagnosed whilst Kelsey was pregnant with their second child and one-year-old son Bodhi in 2020. Parker disclosed in October 2020 that he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma and had begun radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
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Despite his diagnosis, in the weeks before his death he had performed on stage with his bandmates as part of their much-delayed reunion tour. Ahead of today’s procession, receptionist Chloe Mayne, 25, from Plumstead, a self-professed “super-fan” of the late singer, told the PA news agency: “It was amazing seeing him (perform live). It’s horrible that I saw him at the O2 and then two weeks later he died.
“The day he died it really hit me. To be fair I don’t think anyone was expecting it that quickly, I thought he’d have at least another Christmas and maybe next