The horse-drawn carriage carrying the coffin of the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, arrives ahead of his funeral service at St Mary's church in Amersham, to the west of London. Photo / AFP
The horse-drawn carriage carrying the coffin of the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, arrives ahead of his funeral service at St Mary's church in Amersham, to the west of London. Photo / AFP
Family and friends of One Direction star Liam Payne, who died last month after falling from a Buenos Aires hotel room, gathered for his funeral in Britain on Wednesday.
Around a dozen fans watched from behind a nearby cordon as guests hugged each other before walking past floral tributes into the 12th-century church to pay their final respects.
“Because his death was such a public death, to have the funeral in a private way ... I think it was very nice,” said onlooker Sheila Morris, a 65-year-old from Amersham.
His death, at 31, prompted a global outpouring of grief from family, former bandmates and fans, with thousands gathering in cities around the world to offer condolences.
‘Completely devastated’
Payne shot to stardom as a teenager alongside Styles, Horan, Tomlinson and Malik after their appearance on the UK talent show The X Factor 14 years ago.
He died from “multiple traumas” and “internal and external haemorrhaging” after the fall from the hotel room, a post-mortem examination found.
The parents of Liam Payne, Karen and Geoff Payne, watch as his coffin is carried into the funeral. Photo / Getty Images
James Corden, left, and Harry Styles after the funeral service of One Direction singer Liam Payne at St Mary's Church. Photo / Getty Images
The balcony attached to his room overlooked a rear patio that was about 14 metres high.
Hotel staff had called emergency services twice to report a guest “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” who was “destroying” a hotel room.
Investigators have said he was alone at the time and appeared to have been “going through an episode of substance abuse”.
Simon Cowell is comforted by Geoff Payne, left, as they depart the funeral for singer Liam Payne. Photo / Getty Images
Louis Tomlinson after the funeral service. Photo / Getty Images
Zayn Malik after the funeral service for One Direction singer Liam Payne. Photo / Getty Images
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.”
One Direction said they had been “completely devastated” by his death.
After forming in 2010, the band went on to release an album of radio-ready songs each year in time for the holiday shopping season and became one of the highest-grossing live acts in the world.
In 2016, after Malik left, the group said it was on an indefinite hiatus but not splitting up.
Seeing Liam's parents walk behind his coffin was heart breaking. No parent should ever have to endure the pain of burying their child 😔 #LiamPaynepic.twitter.com/08JTxVxSSY
