Cheung's fans unite to mourn their idol

Thousands of fans of pop superstar Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing thronged the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point last night to pay their last respects to their idol, who jumped to his death on April 1.

Although Cheung's family had allotted two hours from 6pm for fans to pay their tributes, Japanese and Korean admirers who had flown in were already staking their spots outside at 10am to ensure they would be able to get inside.

By 6.30pm, thousands of fans dressed in black and armed with bouquets of white flowers had turned up, braving a steady drizzle. Most had to wait more than an hour for their turn to enter the hall, spending the time singing Cheung's old hits.

Sounds of sobbing broke through the words as fans, unable to contain their grief, wept. 'I didn't believe it when I first heard but when I saw it on television, I had to accept the truth.

Francis Frick, 35, an American architect who met Cheung once through mutual friends in Hollywood, was also determined to pay his respects.

'He was a role model for being a real artist and for being honest to his own feelings,'' he said. 'It was very selfish of him to kill himself.'