Fans of the late Prodigy star Keith Flint flocked to Braintree in Essex today (29 March) to pay their final respects at the late musician’s funeral.
His bandmates had made the request that fans turn up to line the route to St Mary’s Church in Bocking and “raise the roof for Keef”.
As crowds gathered, flags were flown and music was played through loudspeakers outside the church and a green near the village pub.
25-year-old Maria Lelicova flew from Prague to attend the service, and said it was her “last time to have a connection, to say goodbye. I never had as strong a connection with other bands as with The Prodigy and it’s really something unique, and it’s part of my life.”
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Keith Flint onstage with The Prodigy supporting Oasis at Knebworth in August 1996
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during Reading ’98
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during Reading ’98
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Keith Flint and Maxim of The Prodigy onstage at the Forum in London in November 1994
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Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs at the V97 concert at Temple Newsham, Leeds in 1997
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Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs at the Grolsch Summer Set at Somerset House on August 6 2005
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The Prodigy performing on the Main Stage during Radio 1’s Big Weekend at Lydiard Park in Swindon in May 2009
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Keith Flint onstage with The Prodigy supporting Oasis at Knebworth in August 1996
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Keith Flint of the Prodigy performing during the Mayday techno festival in Dortmund on May 1 2006
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Keith Flint of the The Prodigy performs during the Big Day Out 2009 in Brisbane, Australia
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Keith Flint of the The Prodigy on the main stage at the Carling Weekend music festival in Reading in 2002
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during the Northside Festival in Aarhus, Denmark on June 10, 2017
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy at T in the Park at Balado, Kinross in Scotland in 2003
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Prodigy lead singer Keith Flint performs during the Oxegen Festival 2008 at the Punchestown Racecourse in Naas, County Kildare
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January 1997 cover of of UK music magazine Select. featuring Keith Flint of the Prodigy, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and Noel Gallagher and Bonehead of Oasis
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Keith Flint onstage with The Prodigy supporting Oasis at Knebworth in August 1996
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during Reading ’98
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during Reading ’98
PA
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Keith Flint and Maxim of The Prodigy onstage at the Forum in London in November 1994
Rex Features
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Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs at the V97 concert at Temple Newsham, Leeds in 1997
PA
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Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs at the Grolsch Summer Set at Somerset House on August 6 2005
Getty
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The Prodigy performing on the Main Stage during Radio 1’s Big Weekend at Lydiard Park in Swindon in May 2009
PA
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Keith Flint onstage with The Prodigy supporting Oasis at Knebworth in August 1996
PA
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Keith Flint of the Prodigy performing during the Mayday techno festival in Dortmund on May 1 2006
Getty
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Keith Flint of the The Prodigy performs during the Big Day Out 2009 in Brisbane, Australia
Getty
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Keith Flint of the The Prodigy on the main stage at the Carling Weekend music festival in Reading in 2002
PA
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy during the Northside Festival in Aarhus, Denmark on June 10, 2017
AFP/Getty
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Keith Flint on stage with The Prodigy at T in the Park at Balado, Kinross in Scotland in 2003
PA
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Prodigy lead singer Keith Flint performs during the Oxegen Festival 2008 at the Punchestown Racecourse in Naas, County Kildare
PA
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January 1997 cover of of UK music magazine Select. featuring Keith Flint of the Prodigy, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and Noel Gallagher and Bonehead of Oasis
Flint’s family moved to Braintree when he was a child. He co-founded The Prodigy in 1990 with Liam Howlett and Leeroy Thornhill. In recent years he had been running The Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey, near Braintree.
The artist, 49, was found hanged at his home near Dunmow on 4 March.
Local schools were closed from midday to allow pupils and parents to avoid traffic caused by the funeral procession. Essex Police urged local residents to be “mindful of potential delays”. The procession will start from Courtauld Road in Braintree and continue along before turning right on Bradford Street, and left into Church Lane. It will finish at St Mary’s Church at 15.30pm, where a service will be held for Flint’s family and close friends.
The Prodigy released their latest album, No Tourists, in November, which marked their seventh consecutive number one record.
Howlett and bandmate Maxim called Flint “a true pioneer, innovator and legend”, and said Flint was their “brother and best friend” who would be “forever missed”.
Additional reporting by PA