Former One Direction bandmates attend Liam Payne's funeral

ITV News Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda on the stars, friends and family of Liam Payne who gathered on Wednesday for the former One Direction star's funeral

Celebrities and relatives have arrived to pay their respects at the private funeral of Liam Payne, including Cheryl Tweedy, former One Direction bandmates and Simon Cowell.

Singers Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson joined other guests at the private funeral in the Home Counties to remember the star, who died last month.

Girls Aloud star Tweedy, who was in a relationship with Payne between 2016 and 18, was seen wearing a black coat and sunglasses at the service.

Harry, Zayn, Niall and Louis, the remaining members of One Direction attended Payne's funeral. Credit: PA
Cowell also attended the funeral. Credit: PA

Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Illicit substances were found in his hotel room, and three people have since been charged in connection with his death, according to Argentina's public prosecution office.

Styles arrived in a BMW alongside TV star James Corden. The pair went straight inside the church while X Factor judge Cowell arrived with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman.

A horse-drawn carriage arrived at the church carrying a dark blue coffin. On top of the carriage, there was a red floral tribute which said “son” and a blue tribute which said “daddy”.

Payne fathered a son, Bear, with Tweedy.

Other guests attending include Payne’s girlfriend, US influencer Kate Cassidy, who arrived alongside Damian Hurley, the son of model Elizabeth Hurley.

Liam Payne's girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy, also joined mourners. Credit: PA

Girls Aloud singers Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh were dropped off in front of the church entrance wearing long black coats and sunglasses.

Silence fell upon the crowd as Payne’s father Geoff and his mother Karen got out of a vehicle and stood behind the reverend, next to the carriage.

A horse-drawn carriage carried Payne's coffin. Credit: PA

Before the funeral, locals and fans gathered to pay tribute to the star, whose cause of death was multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”, a post-mortem examination report said.

Following Payne’s death fans around the world held vigils in his memory, including a memorial to the late star in his hometown of Wolverhampton.

He rose to fame alongside Styles, Tomlinson, Malik and Horan when Cowell put them together to form One Direction on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2010.

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