Liam Payne's heartbroken family given huge update as body 'returning to UK' for funeral

Liam Payne's body is finally being flown home (Image: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Liam Payne's body is set to be returned to the UK by Monday "at the latest", with his funeral anticipated to occur next week. This comes nearly three weeks after the chart-topping musician tragically fell from his hotel room balcony, resulting in his immediate death.

Funeral directors have reportedly transferred the late One Direction star from a Buenos Aires morgue to the British Cemetery, established in the 1820s, located in the northern region of the Argentinian capital. This followed the approval given to his devastated father Geoff by prosecutors to bring him home. Local media outlets suggest that the repatriation will happen either tomorrow or Monday - "48 hours maximum" - once the embalming process has been completed.

Respected Argentinian newspaper La Nacion reported that Geoff was personally informed in a recent meeting with prosecution chief Andres Madrea that he could return to the UK with Liam's body two weeks after travelling to the South American nation following the 31 year old's fatal three-storey hotel fall.

The paper stated: "All the documents are ready for the former One Direction singer to return to his homeland so a funeral can take place there next week. When Geoff Payne reached Argentina on October 18 he was told the repatriation process could take between four and five days, but because of the circumstances surrounding his son's death things took longer than expected.", reports the Mirror.

The late singer fell to his death from the balcony of his hotel room aged just 31 (Image: Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

Prosecutors are still waiting for confirmation on the toxicology and tissue test results, which Liam's father was informed were essential prior to repatriation, following an initial meeting with Mr. Madrea on October 21. The sudden demise of Liam on October 16 at CasaSur Palermo Hotel led to an investigation that initially pointed to a drug-related 'psychotic episode' without any indication of foul play.

Over a week ago, officers raided the upscale hotel Liam had been staying in to search computers and documents, presumably as part of their pursuit of his alleged narcotics supplier, amid rumours of hotel involvement in providing his drugs. Just three days prior, Argentinian outlet Infobae suggested forensic analysis found cocaine in Liam's system but results from a white substance captured in leaked images of his hotel room post-mortem were "inconclusive."

According to some unverified stateside reports, a mix of substances including the synthetic blend known as pink cocainecomprised of MDMA, ketamine, methamphetaminewas detected in his body through partial autopsy, together with additional findings of crack cocaine and benzodiazepine.

Liam Payne's body is expected to be returning to the UK this weekend (Image: Getty Images for ABA)

Geoff, devastated by his son Liam Payne's untimely demise, arrived in Argentina just two days later and was captured in a heart-wrenching photo perusing tributes at an impromptu shrine set up by fans outside the hotel where Liam had been staying. Adding to the poignancy, he was allowed into the third-floor suite to collect the former One Direction star's clothes and personal itemsa gesture granted as authorities confirmed they required nothing further for their investigation.

The outpouring of love continues as thousands of Liam Payne's fans have put their names to a campaign demanding the establishment of a memorial for the cherished singer. They are fervently appealing for a "structure or mural" to become a lasting tribute in his hometown of Wolverhampton, nestled in the heart of the West Midlands.