Linda Nolan funeral: Singer to be buried in 'bright pink and sparkly coffin' as Coleen shares her final words

The 65-year-old singer and actress, also a member of The Nolans, passed away earlier this month in a Blackpool hospital following a long battle with breast cancer.

Linda had shared her funeral wishes with her family, and her sister Coleen Nolan, who was born in Blackpool, has revealed they plan to honour her request for a “pure showbiz” send-off - though not all of Linda’s ideas will be followed.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Coleen said: “She wanted everyone in black, wearing mantillas, those little lace veils that cover your face. I remember saying, ‘You are joking, Linda! If I see all my sisters in mantillas, I’m going to laugh the whole way through the funeral!’

“We’ve decided not to do that, but we are wearing black. Her coffin is pure showbiz – bright pink and sparkly, just as she wanted. The one thing my sister loved was bling – her trainers had bling on them, her handbags, her tops, her walking stick – so it feels right that she has a glittery pink coffin.”

Coleen, along with her sisters Anne, 74, Denise, 72, and Maureen, 69, joined Linda at her bedside during her final hours.

Although Coleen wasn’t present when Linda took her last breath, she cherishes the memory of their last day together.

“I’m holding on to the memory of the last day I spent with her in hospital, which was full of love and laughter," Coleen shared.

"My daughter Ciara and I sat with her, and we said everything we needed to say to each other. She told us how much she loved us, and we told her we loved her.”

Coleen added: “Although she had double pneumonia and was on oxygen, she was cracking jokes, being her usual funny self, and eating the chocolate people had brought her. She wanted to hear about my new grandson, and I showed her lots of photos of him.”

The family was joined by Linda’s closest friends, including her best friend of 60 years, Suzanne, and her stepdaughter Sarah.

Despite being urged by nurses to rest, Linda “would not stop talking,” Coleen said.

Coleen then shared the emotional moment she said goodbye to her sister: “When I left that evening, I told her I’d come and visit the next day and she said, ‘Oh, you don’t have to,’ and I said, ‘I know, but I will,’ and then she said, ‘Col, I really love you.’”

She added: “When Maureen called the next morning to say Linda had died, I didn’t feel sad that I wasn’t there when she took her last breath because we’d got to spend that precious day together, and I’m grateful for that.”

Funeral service to be held at St Paul's Parish Church, Whitegate Drive, Marton on Saturday February 1, 10.30am followed by committal at Carleton Crematorium. “'All friends welcome and preferably wearing black'.