Ta-ra Vera: Coronation Street stars say a final farewell to Liz Dawn at Manchester funeral
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Coronation Street stars past and present have turned out to pay their final respects to show stalwart Liz Dawn at her funeral in Manchester’s Salford Cathedral.
The actress, who played the iconic Vera Duckworth for 34 years, died peacefully at home after a long battle with lung disease emphysema on Monday, September 25. She was 77.
And on Friday, the cast of the cobbles arrived by coach from the nearby studios to join Liz's friends and family in celebrating her life and saying their last goodbyes, with Nigel Pivaro, who played her on-screen son Terry, being one of the first to arrive.
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(Image: Getty)
(Image: Benjamin Paul / SWNS.com)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
(Image: Getty)
Samia Ghadie, who's character Maria Connor was once in a relationship with Vera's 'surrogate' son Tyrone Dobbs, arrived with her husband Sylvian Longchambon.
And Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone, attended with his wife, former Coronation Street actress Lucy-Jo Hudson.
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(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
(Image: Benjamin Paul / SWNS.com)
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
In a statement announcing her death, her family said: "We are devastated and heartbroken at the passing of our much-loved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great grandmother, the incredible Liz Dawn.
"Liz died peacefully last night at home with her loving family around her.
"She has been the love, light and inspiration in our lives and we are bereft at her passing.”
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
(Image: Getty)
(Image: PA)
(Image: PA)
The Leeds-born actress, who was a Woolworth's shop girl before finding fame, was forced to quit the street in 2008 after receiving the terminal diagnosis.
However, she made one last appearance in 2010 when she returned for her on-screen husband Jack Duckworth’s (Bill Tarmey) final scenes.
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In June Liz - whose real name was Sylvia Ann Ibbetson - underwent surgery for a heart condition, which forced her to miss the wedding of her grandson Thomas Borso, in Italy.
She had hoped the procedure would result in a vast improvement to her health.
“I’ve got no energy but once the operation is done I will be looking forward to being as back to my normal self and getting my energy back," she said at the time.
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Sadly, in recent times she had been confined to a wheelchair, and was admitted to hospital with breathing problems two weeks before her death.
Liz is survived by four children and her husband Donald Ibbetson , who she married in 1965.
The funeral is set to start at 2pm and will begin with a requiem mass and holy communion service followed by a private family committal.