Liam Payne's funeral to be held on Wednesday

BBC,  Nov.20: 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, alongside his family and closest friends.

The musician died three weeks ago 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 in the 2010s.

Despite only coming third on the show, One Direction went on to become the biggest British group since The Beatles

During their five-year career, they sold 70 million records, including 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 his son Bear, whom he had with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.

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