Sea of Ozzy tributes grows at Black Sabbath bridge

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

Thousands of Black Sabbath fans have been flocking to Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne since his death last week - including a family forever touched by the singer's legacy.

People from as far away as Mexico, the USA and Poland have added to the sea of flowers and messages at Black Sabbath Bridge on Broad Street in the heart of Osbourne's home city.

For metal fans, it was like the death of the Queen, observed one visitor to the spot this weekend.

Several shared their personal stories, including Tom and Kellie who told the BBC how the Sabbath frontman's memory would always be kept alive at home. They named their nine-year-old son after him.

Tom, Kellie and their son Ozzy stopped to visit Black Sabbath Bridge on their way home

"It started off as a joke really," Tom said. "We couldn't agree on a name and we just kept coming back to Ozzy.

"He was the literal greatest metal frontman of all time."

The family, from Preston, Lancashire, were travelling home from London when they stopped off in Birmingham to lay flowers at the bridge.

To the flowers, they added a written message, Tom, 43, said. "Thank you for showing the world that it is possible to come from virtually nothing, from humble working class beginnings, and live life on your own terms."

Kellie described Osbourne as a "lovable maniac" who was funny and humble and had loved his family and fans.

"He was mad but I think that's what took him from being the godfather of metal to being a national treasure," she said.

Others' pilgrimages involved much longer distances.

Paulina Pinera, 33, from Mexico, flew to England on the day Ozzy died

Paulina Pinera, 33, flew to England from Zacatecas, Mexico, on the day Osbourne died.

"I had planned to come here, but not in this situation. I didn't expect him to pass away on the day I flew over here," she said.

A big metal fan since she was a child, Ms Pinera previously saw the band perform in Mexico in 2013 and 2018.

"My father used to listen to his records every day so I became a huge fan when I was a little girl," she explained.

She said she wanted to visit the bridge to pay her respects after she was unable to attend Sabbath's farewell gig at Villa Park, close to Osbourne's childhood home in Aston.

The singer, who had Parkinson's Disease, died just days after the performance during which he had sung while seated on a black throne.

"He's an idol," Ms Pinera said.

Messages left by fans at the bridge read "Rest In Peace Ozzy" and "See you on the other side"

Emma Wilkes, 24, from Oxford, also visited the tribute scene at the weekend, and said: "As sad as it has been that this has happened, it's also been very much a moment of unity for people."

She said other bands "wouldn't have been here" without Black Sabbath.

"For us in the heavy metal community, it's almost a little bit like when the Queen died," she told the BBC.

"[Ozzy was someone] we always thought was kind of going to be constant, somebody you could always kind of imagine living forever, even though that's not really true," she said.

"Every band that has come since, has come from them. It's very much like standing on the shoulders of giants."

David Quant, 63, from Wolverhampton, saw Ozzy perform his final show at Villa Park

David Quant, 63, from Wolverhampton, attended the farewell Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park.

"There wasn't a dry eye in the house when he sang Mama, I'm Coming Home," he recalled tearfully. "That tune was the last tune he will ever do."

To see Osbourne perform at what was his final show had been a "dream come true", he added.

Osbourne, he stated, had been the "founder" and "godfather" of the metal scene.