'I've lost my beautiful Liam,' says devastated parent of One Direction star

These were the only words that the 31-year-old's mother Karen could bring herself to say to family friends who have been rallying round in the wake of the tragic death of the One Direction star.

Liam, from Bushbury, shot to fame after appearing on ITV's talent show X Factor in 2010.

He was sadly pronounced dead in Buenos Aires in Argentina on Wednesday, after a balcony fall.

Longstanding friends Wolverhampton celebrity hair stylists Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko were among the first to reach out to his heartbroken family.

Speaking to the Express & Star, Nick said: "I messaged his mom Karen this morning. She's finding it hard to speak about what's happened, but she said ' I've lost my beautiful boy'.

Paying tribute to Liam who was once a regular at their Royston Blythe hair salon, in Bridgnorth Road, in Compton, the pair said they were heartbroken to learn of his passing.

"He was a beautiful boy inside and out.

"It's absolutely shocking and devastating that such a young and talent life has gone. We are never going to see him again.

"There are so many tears here, how can we put how we feel into words?

"We have sold the business now, but he'd been coming to the salon to get his hair done since he was a young lad. His mum still gets her hair done there."

"When he was competing in X Factor we put up posters in the windows to get people to vote for him. Of course, after that he became a global phenomenon.

"We always saw him as a hero at the salon.

"Even at 14 he was very eloquent. I knew he was going to be famous. That's why I gave him his first proper set of hair straighteners.

"He had a lot of motivation and loved what he was doing. He was passionate about it.

"We used to go with Karen to his concerts a the NEC and he would point us out in the audience and say I was his hairdresser which was a nice thing for him to do.

"Like me he came from humble beginnings. His story will be a massive inspiration to young people from here. He supported The Way youth hub and he used to go to a local boxing club to train because he was bullied.

"Royston added: "We were doing Liam's hair from when he was 14-years-old and at school. I used to organise charity shows and he used to appear for free.

"His dad used to accompany him and set up his PA equipment and he would sing.

"We took him to meet Dawn Ward from Real Housewives of Cheshire at Warford Hall when she did the charity Creme de la Creme Ball and he was asking her lots of questions.

"He be sorely missed by everybody."

The family of Liam put out a brief statement later yesterday, saying: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”