One Direction break silence on Liam Payne's death in heartbreaking tribute

have issued a statement following the tragic loss of , saying: "We will miss him terribly."

Bandmates said they were "completely devastated" by news of his death, adding: "The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever."

A statement signed "Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry" said: "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing.

"In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.

"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."

Payne was on October 16 after falling from a balcony at a hotel in Argentina.

from celebrities, loved ones and fans all over the world after the shocking news was announced.

One Direction - comprising of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik, as well as Payne - officially split in January 2016, less than a year after Malik announced he was going his separate ways from the group.

The band met in 2010 after all auditioning solo for . Payne had auditioned two years earlier and got all the way to Judges' Houses.

He was advised by to come back when he was a bit older. He returned but failed to go through as a solo artist.

Instead, the X Factor judges pulled photos of boys together and opted to make a band, with Nicole Scherzinger pulling the photos of Liam, Harry, Louis, Niall and Zayn to the table.

Once they were invited back on, the five agreed to be in a group together and went on to land third place on the talent show.

The group immediately shot to fame after their time on the show, with multiple Number 1 singles, a stadium tour and a huge loyal fanbase.

After their split in 2016, they went on to pursue solo projects, with Payne releasing tracks such as Strip That Down and featuring on Rita Ora's For You, which appeared in the Fifty Shades franchise.

Payne went on to have many relationships in the public eye, most notably with Cheryl Cole. The pair welcomed their son, Bear Payne, in March 2017.