Taylor Swift's heartfelt letter to the late Liam Payne is expected to sell for thousands at auction.

The 35-year-old pop star expressed her support for the singer, who passed away aged 31 last year after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina, in a note that could fetch up to $13,000 when Omega Auctions begin accepting bids next month.

Taylor wrote the note in December 2017 - shortly before performing at the Jingle Bell Ball in London - where she praised Liam's solo single Bedroom Floor.

The Fate of Ophelia singer - who once dated Liam's former One Direction bandmate Harry Styles - penned: "Liam, long time no see! I'm so excited for you. You're crushing it out there. I'm obsessed with Bedroom Floor.

"It's so cool to see you from afar, I'm always cheering you on. Good luck tonight!"

The letter was enclosed in an envelope with "Liam" written on it, decorated with small stars and sealed with a wax "T", while "Nashville, Tennessee" was printed on the back.

Payne is believed to have given the letter to a close friend after receiving it.

Collectors see the note as historically significant and emotional meaningful due to Taylor's encouraging message.

Last month marked the first anniversary of Liam's tragic passing and his sister Ruth Gibbins admitted that she has been "paralysed" by grief ever since.

Part of her tribute, which she shared on Instagram, read: "I underestimated grief, woah, did I underestimate it. I am paralysed by it daily.

"I thought I had felt it before but I know the losses before you were just intense sadness, you are the loss of my life, the one person who l will miss at every single occasion in my life. I'd taken for granted that my little brother would be there through life.

"You shouldn't have died."

Following Liam's death, Ruth has been suffering from a recurring nightmare where she is in the One Direction star's hotel room, but he cannot hear her "screaming" for him.

She added: "My brain is locked on your last minutes on this earth, the unaccounted minutes, the minutes I will never have the answers to, the minutes that changed everything."