Thousands of devastated fans gather at vigil in London to remember One Direction star Liam Payne
20 October 2024, 14:33 | Updated: 20 October 2024, 15:35
Thousands of fans have gathered at a vigil in London for One Direction star Liam Payne.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Crowds gathered in Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Payne following his death on Wednesday.
The singer fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He died of multiple traumas and "internal and external haemorrhage", a post-mortem examination report said.
Devastated fans were seen in tears as they laid flowers and left messages for the star at the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens.
Some carried heart and L-shaped balloons while others had artwork dedicated to the 31-year-old.
Vigils have been organised across the world this weekend to celebrate Payne.
In London, the group sung along to One Direction songs as they consoled one another.
Hundreds of fans gather in London to pay tribute to Liam Payne
Helen, 30, from Liverpool, remembered Payne as a "kind" and "lovely" person who she met as a fan growing up.
She thanked him for his music and "the best memories", adding that she hoped he had found peace.
Mum Bobbie and her daughters Billie-Jay and Brook told LBC: "It’s just such a shock – it doesn’t even feel real.
"He’s been a massive part of our lives so although we don’t know him personally it feels like we do."
They said: "We used to always dance to the music and they’re the memories that we have.
"I used to have about 80 posters of them across my wall."
"It shows how much happiness someone can bring without even meeting them," they added.
Kezia and Jamie said they had come to "support" and "show our love".
"He meant a lot, especially his songs, they helped us through our childhood," they said.
"I was devastated. I think I started crying straight away. I didn’t want to believe it.
"It was my brother that told me and I said ‘No, shut up, it’s not real.’”
Another fan from the US ended her visit to Ireland so she could attend the vigil in Hyde Park.
Tess Hayden, 24, said: "My older brother and I had been planning a trip to Dublin for a while, and I knew I was gonna try and come to London at some point at the end of the trip, but when I woke up and heard the news, I was like, 'ok, I'll just go a day earlier (and) try and figure (it) out."
Ms Hayden said it was "very surreal" as a death at 31 is "very sad and devastating, and shocking".
"It's a reminder of what a huge part of my childhood and growing up, Liam and One Direction were," she added.
Lauren Anderson and Natasha Bradley, both 23, spoke in front of the Peter Pan memorial.
Ms Bradley said it was "hard trying to get over it".
She added: "I've literally been feeling so sad like ever since the news came on, I just didn't believe that."
She also said "Lauren's been the one that I've been speaking to the most about it", and she wanted to be around people who were "feeling the same because your parents, they don't really understand how much they really meant to you growing up".
Lauren, 26, from Kent, said: "It's more comforting being with other people, because these people get it, whereas back at home, you're just kind of on your own, and it's quite tough, you're stuck in your own thoughts, and here you can talk about it."
She added that Payne's death hit harder than the loss of The Wanted's Tom Parker because she was "prepared for it" following his brain tumour diagnosis.
Lauren added that it "was completely out of the blue".
Meanwhile, more than 100 fans also gathered in Payne's hometown to pay their respects.
Bouquets were left outside St Peter’s collegiate church in Wolverhampton.
There was also a vigil in Liverpool on Saturday, where candles, flowers and cards were left for the star.
