Liam Payne to be remembered at private funeral

The funeral of One Direction star Liam Payne will take place on Wednesday, just over a month after he died at the age of 31.

His former bandmates are among those expected to attend the private service in the Home Counties in south-east England, alongside his family and closest friends.

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

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

In a short statement following his death, Liam'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."

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.

Payne's girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy, is also expected to attend the funeral.