Girls Aloud stars Cheryl and Kimberley share tributes to bandmate Sarah Harding

Members of Girls Aloud have shared their tributes and memories to their "stunning, unique, crazy, quirky, kind soft-hearted" bandmate Sarah Harding who died aged 39 on Sunday.

Harding revealed last August that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which had spread to other parts of her body.

On Sunday, Harding's mother Marie announced the death on Instagram, saying her “beautiful” daughter was “a bright shining star”.

Since then tributes to the star have been pouring in from across the music industry.

Bandmates Kimberley Walsh and Cheryl Tweedy both shared their tributes to Harding on Monday.

Cheryl said despite knowing "this day would arrive" she was at a "loss for words that our, stunning, unique, crazy, quirky, kind soft-hearted girl has departed."

Sharing a black-and-white portrait of Harding on Instagram, she wrote: "As I try to navigate my way through these painfully strange and horribly unfamiliar waves of disbelief & finality I am experiencing, I wanted to extend my condolences to all of our GA fans.

“We were like an extended family for so long and we know so many of you by name.

Kimberley said she was "heartbroken" by the death of her bandmate who “loved, lived and laughed so hard.”

She said: “Beautiful Sarah this hurts so bad.

“To wake up and know that you are really gone is too much to bear.

“Hearing your infectious chuckle was one of my favourite things in the world.

“Your fire burned so bright and you loved, lived and laughed so hard.

“Sending love and strength to everyone who is grieving today.

“My heart is broken.”

Cheryl and Kimberley joined Sarah, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts in girl band Girls Aloud on TV show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002.

Roberts also shared a series of photos of them together during Girls Aloud’s early years and wrote: “I’m absolutely devastated and I can’t accept that this day has come. My heart is aching and all day everything we went through together has raced round my mind.

“Especially this last year since her diagnosis, as hard as the year has been, our new memories are strong in my heart.

"There are so many things to say and at first it felt too personal to put them here and then I remembered that there are so many other people grieving her too.

“A part of me or us isn’t here anymore and it’s unthinkable and painful and utterly cruel. She would have loved your messages today.”

Roberts described her bandmate as “Electric girl” and added: “You gave it everything and still with a smile.

“A white butterfly flew past my window this morning before I knew, it must have been you.”

Nadine posted a photo on Instagram of Harding smiling broadly and said she was “absolutely devastated” by the news.

She added: “I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl & what she means to me!!

“I know so many of you will be feeling this way. For now I’m sending so much love to you!!!”

Music manager Louis Walsh, who helped create Girls Aloud, said he would remember Sarah with “great fondness”.

In a statement, he said: “It’s just sad she has gone too young. She was always fun and the life and soul of the party.

“Anytime she came to Dublin in the early days we went out to the Pod nightclub and would be the last to leave.

“It’s just so unfair, I was hoping she was getting better. She was fun and loved music, dancing and life. I will remember her with great fondness.”

Earlier this year, Sarah said she was told by a doctor that she would probably not be alive next Christmas.

In an extract from her memoir, titled Hear Me Out, which was published in the Times, she wrote: “In December my doctor told me that the upcoming Christmas would probably be my last.

“I don’t want an exact prognosis. I don’t know why anyone would want that.

“Comfort and being as pain-free as possible is what’s important to me now.”

She said she was “trying to live and enjoy every second of my life, however long it might be”.

“I am having a glass of wine or two during all this, because it helps me relax,” she added.

“I’m sure some people might think that’s not a great idea, but I want to try to enjoy myself.

“I’m at a stage now where I don’t know how many months I have left.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll surprise everyone, but that’s how I’m looking at things.”

Sarah said publicly revealing her diagnosis was “scary” but also “the right thing to do”.

She said the support she received had been “incredible”, adding: “I’ve been inundated with lovely messages from my fans. I’m grateful beyond words for that.”