One Direction have released a joint statement on the passing of Liam Payne, while Louis Tomlinson pays tribute to "the kind brother I'd longed all my life for"

The music world is in mourning following the sudden and tragic death of former One Direction member Liam Payne yesterday (16th October). Payne, 31, passed away after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The remaining members of One Direction - Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles - have now released a joint statement expressing their devastation.

Louis Tomlinson, who shared a particularly close bond with Payne, penned a deeply personal and emotional tribute:

Tomlinson reminisced about their first meeting and Payne's impact on the band, recalling: "I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for."

He highlighted Payne's musical talents and contributions to One Direction, calling his bandmate "an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody"