City ‘heartbroken’ by Liam Payne’s death

Alice Cullinane & PJ Ellis

BBC News, West Midlands

People in Wolverhampton have expressed their grief and shock after the death of Liam Payne, who was born in the city.

The 31-year-old died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

John Carpenter, a secondary school friend of Liam’s, said he was “absolutely shocked and heartbroken” at the news.

“Liam was always a very confident and determined individual, he would never give up on anything,” he said.

Mr Carpenter first met Liam in 2004 at St Peter’s Collegiate school in Wolverhampton where they were both athletes.

While there, Mr Carpenter said his friend had lots of intense auditions and was “absolutely mobbed by everyone”.

“My last ever words to him were ‘Liam I know you’re going to get a lot of money from this, I know you’re going to get a lot of fame from this and I wish you absolutely the very best, but please don’t lose your head’,” he said.

“That was the last time I saw him in person, just before the X Factor finals.”

The One Direction star, who was born in Heath Town in the city, was always proud of his roots.

He announced the birth of his son Bear in 2017 with singer Cheryl and said that he “constantly inspired” him to be a better person.

Wolverhampton resident Sunita Mistry told BBC Radio WM that Liam’s death would hit the city “hard”.

“It’s a big loss and it’s a shame that he didn’t get help when he should have,” she said.

Liam turned to alcohol after One Direction went on “hiatus” in 2016 and had suffered health troubles in recent years.

Ms Mistry added she felt for his parents, Cheryl Cole and his son even if “she didn’t know them on a personal basis”.

Tiegan Moseley, 19, said that she was “heartbroken” after spotting the news on Facebook this morning.

Her childhood was filled with artists like Liam Payne and her thoughts were with his family, she added.

Actress and singer Beverley Knight, also from Wolverhampton, said she was “stunned at the news of Liam’s tragic and untimely death”.

“I know this sense of utter shock is felt by millions around the world right now,” she said.

“I always kept my eye on what my fellow Wolverhamptoners (sic) in the spotlight were doing and felt immense pride that a young lad from my town had become a worldwide star, a member of one of the best selling boy bands of all time.”

Ms Knight added her “heart is shattered for his parents Karen and Geoff and his son whose future memories have been snatched away”.

Dance teacher Kerri Dunn, from Dudley, said she worked with Liam during a stage school named Pink Productions and supported him when he went onto X Factor.

“He couldn’t dance very well but he could definitely sing, he was a really talented lad,” she said.

“He was a bit of a joker in dance rehearsals, he was a normal lad you wouldn’t think he was globally famous” she added.

City of Wolverhampton College principal Louise Fall said the college was “sorry to hear the news about former student Liam Payne”.

“[We] wish to extend our sympathies to his family and friends at this very sad time,” she added.

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