Liam Payne's coffin arrives at church as Cheryl and One Direction stars lead mourners
by Kirsten McStay, Susan Knox, Victoria Johns, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/kirsten-mcstay/, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/susan-knox/, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/victoria-johns/ · Daily RecordGet the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp
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The coffin of Liam Payne has arrived at a church in the Home Counties for the star's heart-wrenching funeral. His coffin was brought in a white horse-drawn carriage, adorned with floral tributes spelling 'son' and 'daddy'.
As Liam's coffin arrived at the church, carried in a horse-drawn hearse decorated with white roses and his name, a hush fell over the crowd. The air was thick with sorrow, punctuated only by quiet sobs as his devoted family followed closely behind.
Dressed in black, they clung to each other, their faces marked with grief but steadfast in their love for Liam. The pallbearers moved with grave steps, lifting the casket as the church bell rang out mournfully.
Fans and friends stood in silent tribute, some holding photographs and flowers, their eyes fixed on the coffin. After a painful wait for the One Direction star's parents in Argentina, Liam is finally being laid to rest today following his tragic death last month when he fell from the third floor of his hotel suite, aged 31.
Liam Payne funeral
The final preparations for the singer's funeral were underway this morning. White roses were placed at the entrance of the church as candles lit the path, reports the Mirror.
In heartrending images, Liam's coffin has now arrived at the church, adorned with a swath of beautiful flowers to honour his life.
Liam Payne's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, was among the first to arrive at his funeral. She was spotted outside the church, clad in black and donning sunglasses, accompanied by actor and model Damian Hurley.
Girls Aloud members Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh were also seen arriving at the church entrance, both wearing long black coats and sunglasses. The pair shared a hug as they met outside the church, looking solemn as they prepared to bid their final farewells to Liam.
Numerous locals and fans also congregated outside the church to pay their last respects to the former One Direction member. Among the crowd, hugs were exchanged, tears silently shed, and whispered memories passed between those gathered.
A floral tribute depicting bowling pins being knocked over by a ball - a nod to Liam's favourite hobby - was placed outside. Harry Styles, another One Direction star, arrived at the funeral with James Corden.
Harry, 30, looked downcast as he walked from his car to the church entrance with his hands in his coat pockets. He was dressed in a black suit and tie, a long black coat, and oversized sunglasses.
Louis Tomlinson was also seen arriving at the funeral, sporting sunglasses under the shining sun. Last month, Louis referred to Liam as 'his brother' in a heart-wrenching tribute following the news of his tragic death.
Louis made a heartfelt promise to Liam that he would take care of his son Bear and shared with fans that they had been working on new music together before the 31-year-old's tragic death. He expressed being "beyond devastated" in his statement about his "brother".
In a poignant message, Louis defended Liam's legacy, writing: "And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam."
Niall Horan, who also referred to Liam as 'his brother', was seen arriving at the church, having paid his respects to the One Direction star following his passing on October 16. Zayn Malik soon followed, coming to pay his respects to his former bandmate, Liam.
Meanwhile, 'Gavin and Stacey' actor James, 46, was spotted greeting fellow mourners as he entered the church. 'This Morning' presenter Rochelle Humes attended the funeral with her husband Marvin Humes, known from his 'X Factor' days.
Simon Cowell, accompanied by his partner Lauren Silverman, was present too. The music mogul played a pivotal role in Liam's rise to fame, having grouped him with Harry, Niall, Louis, and Zayn to form One Direction on 'X Factor' in 2010.
The funeral of the singer, attended by Liam's grieving family, Cheryl, son Bear, and One Direction stars Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, was initially believed to be taking place in Wolverhampton. However, Liam's memorial in the city is brimming with tributes as his hometown continues to grieve the loss of the One Direction star.
Earlier this month, the council "respectfully relocated" tributes honouring Liam. A shrine of flowers, cards and various tributes was moved from the city centre to West Park in the West Midlands city.
A fan shared pictures of the tribute, still filled with vibrant flowers, letters, candles, balloons, teddies and photos celebrating Liam's life, on X - formerly Twitter. Zayn, Liam's One Direction bandmate, made a heartbreaking gesture by cancelling his UK tour to pay his final respects to the beloved father-of-one.
Zayn decided to cancel his UK tour, which was due to start this week, so he could attend the funeral. The Dusk Till Dawn star informed his fans last week that he was rescheduling two of his Edinburgh shows due to "unforeseen circumstances."
He has let his fans know that the November 20 show is now scheduled for December 8, and another gig from his Stairway To The Sky tour on November 21 has been moved to December 9. The A Whole New World singer had to delay the American part of his tour after the heart-breaking loss of his bandmate.
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In the wake of the October tragedy that left Liam's multitude of fans worldwide in mourning, One Direction released a joint statement expressing their sorrow over the singer's death. They shared: "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."
"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."
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