Liam Payne's sister found out he'd died 'when news popped up on phone'

Liam Payne's grieving sister has paid tribute to the ITV The X Factor star after his death aged 31. Nicola, who is Wolverhampton singer Liam's sister, spoke out wth a gushing Instagram tribute to the One Direction singer following his death in Buenos Aires.

"When I saw the news pop up on my phone that you had left us I went cold," she wrote on social media. "I wanted so much for it to be untrue. I spent days hoping that it was a mistake." Nicola's tribute came on Monday (October 21).

She went on to say: "You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who lived to make people smile and be happy. You have always shown kindness to everyone you met and it shows with just how many people have confirmed what we always knew!

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"We don't have many pictures together as we never really did that as a family, we never wanted you to feel like you were in a room of fans. But we were your biggest fans - always and forever."

In her Instagram update, she went on: "Your talent alone puts you miles ahead, but also you being you. you led your life with a motto of why bother doing something unless you are brilliant at it. Liam, you were certainly brilliant at everything you did!

"Unfortunately, this cruel world is always too quick to judge someone from a five second clips, they think it entities them to be able to speak like they know you. We knew you and we loved you." She said: "I hope that you finally found some peace up there and that you always continue to look after us all as you have done in life.

"We'll make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him. We promise this." She signed off with: "See you soon Liam. Love you xx."