Liam Payne to be remembered at private funeral

Family and friends of One Direction star Liam Payne are attending the singer’s funeral, just over a month after he died at the age of 31.

The private service is taking place on Wednesday in Buckinghamshire, north-west of London.

The musician died after falling from a third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.

Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy and Girls Aloud singers Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts are among the guests.

Floral tributes at the funeral include one in the shape of a set of 10-pin bowling pins and ball, a reference to one of Payne’s favourite pastimes.

A small crowd of onlookers gathered outside the church, but fans have largely stayed away, with members of the One Direction group on Reddit reminding others that “memorials are for fans, funerals are for family”.

In a short statement following his death, Payne’s family said: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

An autopsy confirmed the 31-year-old had suffered internal and external bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries sustained as a result of the fall.

Payne was one of the most recognisable names in pop, after rising to fame on The X Factor.

Despite only coming third on the show in 2010, One Direction went on to become the biggest British group since The Beatles.

During their five-year career, they sold 70 million records, with four UK number one singles and four number one albums.

A co-writer on many of their hits, Payne also achieved solo success with tracks like Strip That Down and Bedroom Floor.

He is survived by his parents, two sisters and Bear, his son with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.