SINGERS Cheryl and Liam Payne have announced they are splitting up after more than two years together.

The former “Girls Aloud” star, 35, and “One Direction” member, 24, confirmed the decision in posts on social media.

The couple have a son, Bear, who was born in March last year.

They said they were “sad” to make the announcement, and it had been a “tough decision to make,” adding, “We still have so much love for each other as a family.”

Cheryl tweeted, “Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”

Newcastle-born Cheryl started her career on ITV’s “Popstars: The Rivals” in 2002 as one of the members of “Girls Aloud.” She then went on to launch a solo career and became a judge on “The X Factor” in 2008.

In 2016, the twice-married star, who was born Cheryl Tweedy, said she wanted to be known just by her first name.

Her relationship with Payne began after her divorce from French restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini. She was previously married to the former England footballer Ashley Cole.

Payne, originally from Wolverhampton, has gone on to forge a successful solo career after One Direction decided to take a break in 2015, with his song “Strip That Down” being streamed globally more than a billion times.

In March, Payne admitted he and Cheryl had relationship “struggles,” amid tabloid press reports about their life together.               (SD-Agencies)