Louis Tomlinson vows to be uncle to Liam Payne's son Bear

The One Direction band mate says he will tell Bear stories of how great his dad was

Louis Tomlinson has vowed to be an uncle to the son of his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne after the singer died aged 31, promising to tell him “stories of how amazing his dad was”. Payne, who rose to fame with the boy band on The X Factor, died after falling from a third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires Wednesday.

He leaves behind his seven-year-old son named Bear who he shared with his former partner, Girls Aloud singer Cheryl. “I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was,” Tomlinson said in a post on Instagram.

Payne died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage” as a result of the hotel fall, a post-mortem examination report said. A press release from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No 16 said it would be investigating the incident as an “inconclusive death” after the report.

In a statement issued via a spokeswoman, Payne’s family told the PA news agency they were “heartbroken” and added: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.” Payne’s One Direction bandmates said they are “completely devastated” and will miss the singer “terribly”.

A joint statement signed by Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Tomlinson said the “memories we shared with him will be treasured forever”, adding they will be taking “some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother”.

In a separate statement, Tomlinson described Payne as “the most vital part of One Direction”, describing his “perfect pitch, his stage presence, (and) his gift for writing”.

“I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life,” he said.

“I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.”

Tomlinson said he and Payne had planned to get “back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band”, adding that he wished he had the “chance to say goodbye” to “one of my best friends”.

Both Tomlinson and Malik said they had “lost a brother” in separate statements on Instagram.

Malik, who left the band in 2015 citing the need “some private time out of the spotlight” before embarking on a solo career, thanked Payne for “supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life”.

“When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved,” he said.

Malik said he “butted heads” with Payne at times because he was “headstrong” and “opinionated”, but “always secretly respected” him for it.

“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated,” he added.