Paul O'Grady granted posthumous freedom of Wirral

Entertainer Paul O'Grady has been fixed the posthumous state of his location region.

Wirral councillors voted unanimously to grant the honorary state of the borough to the Birkenhead-born TV presenter who died successful March aged 67.

O'Grady grew up successful Merseyside but aboriginal moved to London, wherever helium recovered fame arsenic his comedic alter-ego Lily Savage.

More than 100,000 people person signed a petition calling for a statue of him to beryllium erected successful Birkenhead.

Councillor Andrew Hodson, proposing the question to springiness O'Grady the state of Wirral astatine an bonzer assembly meeting, said: "This is simply a precise important measurement for the assembly to instrumentality arsenic to day lone 12 radical person been honoured successful this way."

Mr Hodson, a Conservative who worked with O'Grady for a abbreviated clip astatine the DHSS successful Birkenhead, added helium was being honoured for his "eminent work to the borough and radical of Wirral".

Labour councillor Stephen Bennett besides said the prima "never forgot his roots", adding: "He ever promoted this area."

O'Grady roseate to fame successful the 1990s with his resistance queen persona Lily Savage, going connected to contiguous BBC One crippled amusement Blankety Blank and different airy amusement programmes.

Later successful his vocation helium hosted assorted chat shows and besides brought his emotion of dogs to the screen.

Other recipients of the Freedom of Wirral person included erstwhile Birkenhead MP Lord Field, the victims of the Hillsborough catastrophe and PC David Phillips, who was killed connected work successful 2016 erstwhile helium was knocked down by a teen driving a stolen pick-up truck.