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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Charlotte McLaughlin

Fans gather in London's Kensington Gardens to remember former One Direction star Liam Payne

More than 100 fans gathered in Kensington Gardens to pay tribute to former One Direction member Liam Payne following his death.

The large group stood in silence on Sunday afternoon as they brought pictures of the late singer as well as handwritten notes, balloons, and flowers at the Peter Pan statue within the central London park.

It is part of events being held around the world to honour the life of Payne, whose father has travelled to Buenos Aires to arrange the repatriation of his son’s body.

Geoff Payne visited the Casa Sur Hotel on Friday in the Argentine capital, where the Wolverhampton star fell from a third-floor balcony, and read letters and cards from fans outside.

Liam Payne died in Argentina (PA Archive)
Fans of former One Direction singer Liam Payne observe a minute's silence beside the Peter Pan statue (AFP via Getty Images)

On Saturday, his sister Ruth Gibbins paid a heartfelt tribute to her brother on Instagram saying “this world was not good enough or kind enough”, as well as sharing pictures of him.

She also wrote “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you” and added: “One last time I need you to know, I’m here if you need anything, I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back.”

That same day, Britain’s Got Talent auditions restarted in Blackpool following them being rescheduled after Payne’s death and former One Direction member Zayn Malik announced he would postpone the US leg of his tour.

Malik, who left The X Factor-formed boyband in 2015 before they went on hiatus in 2016, wrote on X that he was making the decision “given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week”.

The fans shed tears as they remembered Payne (PA)
Pictures and notes for Payne (AFP via Getty Images)

“The dates are being rescheduled for January and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days,” he also wrote. “Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”

He is set to perform in the UK in Edinburgh, London, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester throughout the final two months of this year, and a spokesman for the singer confirmed these are unchanged.

Payne died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”, a post-mortem examination report said.

Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No 16 said it was investigating the incident as an “inconclusive death”.

It said five witnesses were questioned in order to reconstruct what happened at the hotel.

A joint statement from One Direction said they were “completely devastated” and will miss the singer “terribly”, adding the “memories we shared with him will be treasured forever”.

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