Tearful Liam Payne fans join thousands at candlelit vigils across the globe to remember One Direction star
Emotional fans of Liam Payne joined candlelit vigils across the globe tonight to remember the One Direction star.
Liam, 31, tragically plunged to his death from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.
Heartbroken fans came together throughout the day to pay their respects at vigils around the world, including one at the Peter Pan Statue in Kensington Gardens.
Photos from tonight show sobbing fans crowding around candles and balloons as they said goodbye to their idol.
Devastated fan Victoria Cardoso, who once met Liam in Westfield shopping centre, told MailOnline: ‘The pain that we’re feeling is nothing compared to what his family members are feeling.’
She added: ‘It’s unbearable and […] my heart breaks for all of them.’
Recounting the time she met Liam while out shopping in London, Ms Cardoso said: ‘I wasn’t expecting it, was just completely out of the blue.
‘Yeah, I had a good 10 to 15 minute interaction with him. He was so different.
‘In person, he’s so humble and he’s obviously just a normal guy and he was absolutely beautiful and charming and friendly, warm.’
Fans gather during a tribute for Liam Payne at Cathedral Gardens in Manchester tonight
A mourner looks up the sky during a candlelit vigil for Liam at Cathedral Gardens in Manchester
A Liam supporter holds a candle during a tribute for the former One Direction star in Manchester tonight
Fans gather during a tribute for Liam at Cathedral Gardens in Manchester tonight
Mourners leave candles and messages during a tribute for Liam in Manchester
Emotional fans hold a candle during a tribute for Liam tonight in Manchester
Candles and messages are left by mourning people during a tribute to the One Direction star in Manchester
Grieving Londoners gather with balloons next to the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Garden
Fans gather to pay tribute to Liam surrounded by candles in Paris, France, tonight
Mourners gather around candles to pay tribute to Liam in Treptower Park in Berlin, Germany
Candles are lit as fans pay tribute to the former One Direction star in Treptower Park in Berlin, Germany
Pictures and candles are placed as grieving supporters gather to pay tribute to Liam in Berlin, Germany
A candle with Liam’s face on it at a vigil in Treptower Park in Berlin, Germany
Ms Cardoso, who was one of thousands to join today’s vigils, moved to the UK from Brazil and said she met Liam within six months of living here.
‘I asked him, ”can I touch your tattoos?” And I just touched his arm and I was crying,’ she said.
‘He was like, ”no, don’t cry”.
‘I was like, ”you’re so beautiful”. He was like, ”thank you, so are you”. Yeah, it was such a warm interaction.
‘He was with his parents as well. So I got to meet Karen and Geoff as well.’
The super fan added: ‘Actually when I saw him I couldn’t even speak.
He was like, ”darling, please, please please don’t make a big scene” and stuff like that.
‘I’m so so thankful that I was able to experience that before this happened.’
Today’s event in Kensington Gardens was held ‘in memory of Liam’ and to ‘honour his shining spirit and unforgettable impact’.
Bereaved attendees brought flowers, letters, drawings as well as One Direction memorabilia to lay under a picture of the star. Some came in groups and hugged and held each other as they mourned his loss.
A large crowd gathers in London, today at the Peter Pan statue, to honour the former One Direction star
A fan holds back her tears as people gather in Kensington Gardens, London, for a vigil held in honour of the former One Direction star
Flowers, pictures, placards and balloons lay next to the Peter Pan statue
A person writing a message for Liam underneath the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens
Fans hugged and held on to each other as they paid their respects to the former One Direction star
People hold balloons and flowers as they gather to honour the 31-year-old who died this week
Large crowds gathered in the Tuilleries Garden, Paris, today as they laid flowers and letters for Liam
In one touching moment, fans sang One Direction’s iconic song ‘What Makes You Beautiful – the band’s lead single from their debut album, ‘Up All Night’.
Photographs showed fans leaving messages including one which read, ‘I will love you forever Liam, thank you for saving me’ and another which said ‘going to miss you, you raised me’.
Yesterday, a heartbreaking vigil was held at Keel Warf Bridge in Liverpool with people pictured laying candles, flowers and cars.
In London, grieving fans hugged each other as they created a wall of tributes inside the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus.
Tributes have flooded in for the popstar from millions of friends and fans of Payne, including the mother of his child Cheryl Cole.
People writing messages during a vigil for 31-year-old One Direction singer Liam Payne from Wolverhampton
Two fans huddled under an umbrella as flowers, balloons and pictures were placed at the Peter Pan statue in London
Fans hold a candle-lit vigil to pay tribute to British singer Liam Payne in Bogota on October 18
The memorial began at the Peter Pan Statue in central London at 2pm
Balloons were placed in front of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens this afternoon as fans gathered for a vigil held in honour of Liam Payne
Fans gathered around the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens this afternoon
Flowers, pictures and balloons were left for Liam in Kensington Gardens today
A large crowd gathered around the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens today
A fan laying flowers at the foot of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens
A fan holds a banner which reads ‘Forever in our hearts’ at a vigil to celebrate Liam’s life at Washington Square Park in New York
People stand in front of flowers and tributes on a bridge in the city centre to remember the former One Direction singer
Tributes left by people during a vigil for 31-year-old singer Liam Payne in Liverpool
Vigils have been held across the world in the days since Payne died. One is pictured in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday
Payne’s father Geoff Payne looks at tributes left outside the hotel where the singer died
A woman leaves a tribute to former One Direction band member Liam Payne at the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus
People look at tributes to former One Direction band member Liam Payne at the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus
