Michael Jackson has been buried in a sunset ceremony in Los Angeles.

Friends and family gathered at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park last night in the town of Glendale to pay their last respects to the star.

The King of Pop died of a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs on June 25 aged 50.

His casket was driven to the ceremony - estimated to have cost more than $1million dollars - which was due to start at 7pm local time (0200 GMT) but was delayed by an hour as guests waited for the family to arrive.

All of Jackson's immediate family arrived in a 30-strong motorcade of hearses - including his sisters Janet and LaToya, mother Katherine and father Joe, and brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, Tito and Jackie.

Michael's three children - Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and seven-year-old Prince Michael II - also attended.

Celebrities mourners included Elizabeth Taylor, Lisa Marie Presley, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Macaulay Culkin and Corey Feldman.

Other guests included Travis Payne and Kenny Ortega who were with Michael at rehearsals for his London shows the night before he died.

Singer Gladys Knight also performed during the 45 minutes service which was conducted by the Rev Al Sharpton.

Also among those present was ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, who broke down in tears.

Debbie Rowe, Michael's second wife and the mother of his children, was invited but it was unsure if she was among the mourners.

Thomas Mesereau, Jackson's attorney from his 2005 child-molestation trial, was also there.