Liam Payne praised by neighbour after late One Direction star came to his aid following intruder incident

Liam Payne's Buckinghamshire neighbour has nothing but positives to say about the late singer.

The former One Direction star passed away at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday (16 October).

His neighbour Thomas Evans, who lives in St Turners Wood Drive, Chalfont St Giles, has since recalled the time Payne came and checked in on his family when someone tried to break into their property.

Evans told PA Media that the incident happened six months ago when he was at home with his older brother, older sister, and a friend.

The 17-year-old said: “At about half past 2am, we saw a shadow through the window and realised there was an intruder on our driveway. There was quite a commotion.

“Liam just heard some kids shouting and, bless him, he came over. He didn’t have to.”

An hour later, at 3am, Evans recalled the pop star walking through the gates dressed in a 'top hat, an overcoat, and these checkered trousers'.

“He told us, ‘I heard some shouting and screaming, are you okay?’ We called the police and he stayed with us until they arrived. We had small talk, just to calm us down,” the college student said.

He added that a friend of Payne also flew their drone over the area to 'see if he could catch the intruder'.

“It was all sorted in the end. But that’s just one example of him being a really nice guy,” the said.

“I want to put some positive things about him out there. There has never been any negativity from him, ever.

“He has kept his private life. People respected that. He has been absolutely no trouble.”

Evans said that the singer's death 'still doesn’t feel real'.

The neighbour believes that Payne moved to the neighbourhood to be closer to his son Bear, seven, who he shared with ex-partner Cheryl Cole.

Taking to Instagram last night (18 October), the Girls Aloud singer said she would be protecting the boy after the death of his father.

“As I try to navigate this earth-shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” she added.

“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our seven-year-old son.

“A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”