Motorhead's Lemmy laid to rest in livestreamed funeral

Motorhead frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister has been laid to rest in a private funeral streamed for fans live on the band's Youtube channel.

The service at the Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in LA began at 3pm local time (11pm in the UK), with fans around the world watching the proceedings via the live feed.

Leading the tributes at the ceremony was Paul Inder, the musician's son.

He described his father's determination to keep performing in the face of terminal illness, and said:

Fans around the world will be able to watch the funeral online Credit: Reuters

Lemmy's son spoke alongside a table where his father's top hat, emblazoned with a skull and crossed swords, sat with a pair of cowboy boots decorated with stylised eagles.

The artifacts were surrounded by bottles of Jack Daniel's, a nod to Lemmy's love of the bourbon and Coke.

Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash also spoke, telling gathered mourners that he felt "honoured" to have been friends with the musician as Motorhead were one of his favourite bands.

Slash described Lemmy as someone who was "true to his school" and had "more integrity in one finger than a whole roomful of rock'n' rollers".

Lemmy on stage at Glastonbury Credit: Reuters

Also giving tributes were Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, Anthrax frontman Scott Ian, and WWE wrestler Triple H.

Around 230,000 fans watched the tributes online, a message on the band's Youtube channel calling on "fellow Motörheadbangers and friends" to "toast along with us" from their favourite bar.

On the Sunset Strip, famous bars including the Rainbow, Roxy and Whiskey A Go Go, screened the celebration of the singer's life.

In London, about 150 Lemmy fans descended on the Wig And Gown pub in Holloway, north London.

Pub staff said the venue had been overwhelmed by the number of fans wanting to pay their respects.

Lemmy (second right) with Motörhead members (left to right) Phil Campbell, Phil Taylor and Michael Burston. Credit: PA

Lemmy, 70, died just two days after being diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer on Boxing Day.

Separately there has been the suggestion the singer's moniker could be immortalised beyond the bounds of music - in chemistry's periodic table.

In perhaps the ultimate tribute, fans have signed a petition calling for one of four newly-discovered super-heavy elements, chemical number 118 in the periodic table, to be named "Lemmium".

The petition has already gained more than 120,000 supporters on the change.org website.