Fans have paid tribute to “legend” Liam Payne after the former One Direction star’s funeral on Wednesday.

At the private service the singer’s family members, former One Direction bandmates and music mogul Simon Cowell united to pay their final respects to him.

Payne’s former partner Cheryl Tweedy, the mother of his son, was also at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, on Wednesday.

His girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who had been travelling with the popstar in Argentina in the days leading up to his death last month, was also at the funeral.

Liam Payne's coffin is carried past gravestones in a churchyard
Liam Payne’s coffin is carried by pallbearers (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Fans began assembling hours before the start of the funeral at 1pm, determined not to miss the opportunity to say goodbye, despite the biting cold.

They stood silently as the singer’s coffin was taken to the church in a white horse-drawn carriage, crowned with flower tributes that read “son” and “daddy”.

Tara Lloyd, 20, a ward hostess at Amersham Hospital, said: “He was a great guy, Liam Payne. The way he passed away was very sudden.

“I was very shocked and at first I was a little bit in denial.

“Growing up, I was a massive fan of One Direction, so I almost felt like a little piece of the child in me was gone.”

Cleaner Alicia Salisbury, 32, travelled from London to stand outside the church and pay her respects.

“What a legend,” she said, describing One Direction as “the biggest boy band of all time”.

“Plus solo artist, dancer, actor, you can’t really beat that. What a career he had.

“He’ll always hold a special place in everyone’s heart,” she added.

Heidi Camp, 33, who lives in Chesham, said: “Of all the places in England, it’s quite an honour that his family has chosen to do this here.”

She said she first became a fan of Liam Payne when he appeared as a solo auditioner in The X Factor in 2010, just before One Direction was formed.

“I remember Simon Cowell putting them together and I loved them – I did not think for a second they’d be as big as they became.

“Liam was great – they’re all great boys.”

After the service, Simon Cowell was seen embracing Payne’s father Geoff, and his mother Karen, outside the church.

Liam Payne’s dark blue coffin was then taken away in a black Jaguar hearse.

The singer died aged 31 on October 16 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

He died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”, a post-mortem examination report said.

Three people have been charged with “abandonment of a person followed by death” and supply and facilitation of narcotics, in connection with Payne’s death, according to the public prosecutor’s office in Argentina.