Bandmates pay tribute after Liam's tragic death

NIALL Horan has paid a touching tribute to his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne saying he did not realise when he last saw him he would be saying "goodbye forever".

Payne died aged 31 after falling from a third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

Horan said he will "cherish every moment" he had with his bandmate "forever" after they rose to global stardom together with their fellow bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik following the boy band placing third on The X Factor in 2010.

"I'm absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real", Horan wrote in an Instagram post alongside a photo of the singer giving Payne a piggyback ride in their younger days.

"Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious.

"He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.