David Gest's ashes are scattered in a small ceremony in his adopted home city of York as 20 close friends and family members gather to say their final goodbyes

By MailOnline Reporter

Published: 08:59 EST, 27 May 2016 | Updated: 10:43 EST, 27 May 2016

The ashes of David Gest have been scattered in a small ceremony in York.

Tourist attraction Clifford's Tower was closed for a day earlier this month to allow the service to take place in private, with 20 close friends and family members in attendance, including David's sister Barbara Gerber, who gave a reading.

The small ceremony comes after a funeral was held for the US star on April 29 at Golders Green crematorium in London, which was attended by a large number of his UK celebrity friends.

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Final resting place: The ashes of David Gest were scattered in a private ceremony in York earlier this month, it has been revealed. Tourist attraction Clifford's Tower was closed for a day to allow the service to take place

Final resting place: The ashes of David Gest were scattered in a private ceremony in York earlier this month, it has been revealed. Tourist attraction Clifford's Tower was closed for a day to allow the service to take place

David, 62, was found dead in a five-star hotel in London on April 12.

According to friends he was planning to move to York in the weeks before his death, a city he previously said he'd like to die in.

The star's closest family and friends gathered at the top of Clifford's Tower in the city for a short ceremony this month. 

After a pastor led a short service on the turret, the ashes were tipped to the grass below as guests released white doves and balloons from the tourist attraction which overlooks the flat to which David had moved all his possessions the weekend before he died.

Imad Handi, David's best friend and co-producer, explained: 'He said that in his estate if he passed away he just wanted somewhere nice in York. We decided it was a peaceful place.'

Favourite city: David, 62, was found dead in a five-star hotel in London on April 12 and while his funeral took place in the capital last month, his friends and family decided to scatter his ashes in York - where the US star had planned to move to

Favourite city: David, 62, was found dead in a five-star hotel in London on April 12 and while his funeral took place in the capital last month, his friends and family decided to scatter his ashes in York - where the US star had planned to move to

A spokesman for English Heritage, custodians of the tower, added: 'We were approached by David Gest's family who asked if they could scatter his ashes from the top of Clifford's Tower in a small, private memorial.

'As he was an adopted son of York, we thought it an appropriate thing to do for his family.'

The Celebrity Big Brother star previously said of York: 'I've lived in New York, Beverly Hills, I still have property in Hawaii, I lived in Claridge's for two years. But here it's so special.

'When you have the Minster, all other churches fade by comparison. It has an elite beauty and the people are so special. I think I'd like to die here.' 

With the scattering of his ashes, it had been revealed that David's request for his favourite sandwich shop to be his resting place was the star's final joke.

Small service: After a pastor led a short service on the turret, the ashes were tipped to the grass below as guests released white doves and balloons from the tourist attraction

Small service: After a pastor led a short service on the turret, the ashes were tipped to the grass below as guests released white doves and balloons from the tourist attraction

During his frequent visits to York, Gest had been a regular at York Hog Roast, now called the York Roast Company, where he liked to eat standing up at the counter at the smaller of the two shops in Stonegate.

Twelve days before his death, he said in a BBC interview that he wanted his ashes scattered outside the shop.

Thinking that was what he would have wanted, David's pal and York Roast boss Wayne Chadwick had been waiting to receive the remains.  

Following the funeral at Golders Green last month, hog roast boss Mr Chadwick planned to install the ashes in a disused part of the shop with a fireplace where the scattering could take place rather than out in the street.

Home city: Clifford's Tower overlooks the flat to which David had moved all his possessions the weekend before he died

Home city: Clifford's Tower overlooks the flat to which David had moved all his possessions the weekend before he died

But Mr Chadwick said he had not been told about the ceremony and had assumed the scattering would take place at the shop.

'On the other hand, David always was a bit of a joker. It was an interview he gave on the BBC which started all this off so I don't know exactly what was in the will,' he said.

'I had been asking what was going to happen but was told the decision was going to be taken by the estate.

'I am a bit disappointed. But we don't have any rights over what was to happen to the ashes and if his inner circle wanted to scatter them without any publicity I can understand that.

'There were practical difficulties in disposing of the ashes in a land-locked shop so from a respect point of view I wanted to leave the final decision to David's friends and family.' 

Worldwide star: David was best known in the US for his marriage to Liza Minnelli while in the UK he carved out a successful career as a reality star contestant

Worldwide star: David was best known in the US for his marriage to Liza Minnelli while in the UK he carved out a successful career as a reality star contestant

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