NINE thousand fans were left devastated when pop band One Direction cancelled a Belfast concert at the last minute tonight.

The gig was cancelled after one of the band members, Liam Payne, became ill, said the promoter..

The band were due on stage around 8.30 pm at the SSE Arena, formerly the Odyssey, in front of fans who had queued all day to get in.

In a statement, Aiken PR said: “The show tonight has been cancelled as Liam has taken ill, and whilst not serious, he is unable to perform tonight.”

Fans have been asked to hold on to their tickets and await information.

Audience members had already gathered inside the concert venue when the cancellation announcement was made

The promoter’s spokeswoman added: “A further statement will be made in the morning [Wednesday].

“The band apologise to the fans and wish Liam better.”

Band member Louis Tomlinson tweeted tonight: “We’re so so sorry for what happened tonight, it was out of our control!

!Lots of love to Liam and thank you for being so understanding!”

Belfast’s Deputy Lord Mayor Guy Spence fumed on Facebook: “Devastated, the band need to take a good look at themselves!

“I know that’s no reflection of the promoter who did a great job to get them here, but to leave 9,000 people standing was a disgrace!

“I don’t understand how one member takes ill and if isn’t ‘serious’ they cancelled, the other members should at least have had the decency to appear!

“We’ll see what the band say, and why they left so many of their young fans and our Citizens heartbroken!

“Just not good enough!”