Man charged with theft of Ozzy tribute flowers

Fans left thousands of floral tributes and messages to the Black Sabbath frontman

A man has been charged in connection with the theft of flowers left as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham, police have said.

Osbourne, 76, died on 22 July from a reported heart attack, and thousands of floral tributes, as well as cards and other items, were left at or around a bench in the city centre commemorating the formation of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, for which Osbourne was the frontman.

West Midlands Police said Parviz Jafari, 45, has been charged with theft, and would appear before magistrates on 3 September.

The force said he was arrested on 2 August after officers were alerted to a theft at the Broad Street location.

On Monday, Birmingham City Council began the task of collecting the tributes to hand them over to the family.

They items were to be gathered at a secret location for photographing and collating before being passed on, the authority said.

Some of the flowers are to be scattered by his grave.

Ozzy Osbourne made his final journey through his home city on 30 July

The Osbourne family viewed the tributes during a procession on 30 July, in which the heavy metal star's body was carried through his home city a final time.

Black Sabbath played a farewell gig at Villa Park in the city on July 5, just under three weeks before Osbourne died.

It was announced on Thursday that the BBC would broadcast a film about the last chapter of the singer's life.