Christmas treat as One Direction star Liam Payne comes home
There's only One Direction for superstar Liam Payne each Christmas and that is back home to his family.
Which proved good news for two fans enjoying Christmas fayre at a south Staffordshire pub as they ended up with a gift money cannot buy – meeting the One Direction boyband singer.
Lily Farrow, aged 13, bumped into Wolverhampton-born Liam while he was out with family and friends at the Tumbledown Farm pub near Cannock.
Liam, originally from Bushbury, posed with Cheslyn Hay High School pupil Lily and happily signed autographs for other guests at the Hatherton pub on the A5.
The schoolgirl from Essington, who says she gained 500 Twitter followers as word spread that the 20-year-old was home, said: "I walked in with my mum Renata and auntie Michelle and saw Liam.
"I asked if I could get a picture and he said 'of course' and he signed an autograph on one of the waitress' pads. I'm a One Direction fan and he was so nice. It was the best Christmas present ever."
Lily's father Peter said: "It made my daughter's day, it was really nice of him."
He joked: "It didn't matter about all the money I spent on her this Christmas. This is what made her the happiest I'd say."
Roberta Harpur, 15, from Cheslyn Hay, also met the One Direction star. She said: "I approached him and asked for a photograph and he was quick to say 'yes'.
"I was shaking from shock and I have to admit that he made my Christmas one to remember. I'm ecstatic.
"He is an extremely nice guy. He's a role model for all and just as humble as he was before the fame."
Despite his global fame which this year saw him and his bandmates star in the box office hit movie This is Us, Liam is a regular visitor back to his home city.
