Bolton School old boy has paid tribute to former One Direction band member Liam Payne.

Liam, 31, fell from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital before medics confirmed his death, in a statement to the Associated Press (AP).

The Wanted star Max George said he met Liam while he was competing on The X Factor with One Direction, describing his death as “absolutely devastating news”.

Tom Park and Max GeorgeTom Park and Max George Max said that Liam supported him following the tragic death of his fellow band member from Bolton.

“Over the last few years I had the pleasure of getting to know him personally and spent some treasured time with him,” he said on Instagram.

Liam PayneLiam Payne ( (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

“Liam was absolutely wonderful in terms of support when Tom (Parker) fell ill, performing at the Royal Albert Hall with us for Stand Up To Cancer.

“He supported me a lot personally after Tom passed. I will never forget that.”

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Liam attended the funeral of Tom, who died in March 2022 at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

He rose to stardom at the age of 16 after forming boy band One Direction on The X Factor in 2010 alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, having returned to the ITV show two years after his first audition.

Tom was from Tonge Moor.

A bench in memory of The Wanted singer Tom Parker was created by a Bolton homeless charity Emmaus to be installed in a place he used to hang out with his friends.

The bench is installed in Seven Acres Country Park which is where Tom and his friends used to hang out when they were younger.

One Direction became one of the biggest pop groups in the world with five albums, four world tours, one movie and a memorable music video for Red Nose Day in 2013 which featured then prime minister David Cameron happening upon them dancing in front of Number 10 Downing Street.