'1D got me through my mum dying of cancer'

Jamie Parker says One Direction's music helped him navigate his own grief when his mother died

"Thank you for being part of One Direction. Your songs helped me and my sister after losing our mum to cancer. I will treasure those albums forever."

These are the words of Jamie Parker, one of hundreds of people who went to Chamberlain Square in Birmingham on Sunday to pay their respects to Liam Payne.

The 31-year-old singer died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina.

His death has sparked vigils across the world, from Payne's hometown of Wolverhampton, all the way to Sydney and Manila.

Fans gathered in Birmingham to pay their respects to Liam Payne

Hundreds of fans gathered at the memorial in Birmingham, many of whom were crying.

They placed flowers, letters and other tributes on the square's steps and some handed out cakes as others hugged.

Mr Parker left a handwritten tribute to Payne.

"I don't even know the bloke but it's just what his music meant to me and my sister," the 27-year-old said.

"In 2013 my mum passed away from cancer and my sister and I were going through such an awful grief-stricken time.

"We relied on the One Direction albums to help us process our grief and navigate our feelings."

Heartfelt tributes were left at Chamberlain Square

Mr Parker said he was in "utter disbelief" after hearing about the singer's death.

He said the impact of Payne and One Direction on his generation and younger people was "enormous".

He added: "I mean, look around you, at all of us.

"We're here because of one local guy from Wolverhampton, who just thought 'I want to pursue my dream of singing' and became an international star with four other boys."

Elizabeth Turay went to the vigil with her sisters and said they listened to One Direction's music together.

Sisters Amina, Jennifer, and Elizabeth Turay paid tribute to the singer

We all shared the same experiences as sisters, it's just been a massive part of our childhood," the 19-year-old said.

Her older sister Jennifer, 23, added: "He played such a big part of our childhood, even recently, keeping up to date with all his music.

Amina, 24, said Payne felt relatable as he was from the same city as her and her two sisters.

She said: "It got to the point where you really did feel like you knew them, they were like your friend.

"We didn't know him personally but we know where he went to school - my mum went to his school."

Friends Sophie Peach and Quinn Poston also listened to One Direction's music with their sisters

Friends Sophie Peach and Quinn Poston, 18, said their bedroom walls were plastered with One Direction posters when they were younger.

Ms Poston said: "I remember just jumping on my bed with my sister listening to The Best Song Ever and learning all the dances.

"I just loved listening to him and I'm grateful to have been around at the same time he was."

Ms Peach, who also connected with her sister through the band's music, said: "He was literally my whole entire childhood. He got me through a lot as a child."

She added Payne "made a lot of people happy".

"He went from just a little boy in Wolverhampton to being in the biggest boy band in the world," Ms Poston added.