Wolverhampton’s X Factor star Liam Payne was forced to dash to the safety of a police van after he and his One Direction bandmates were mobbed by fans when they jetted into Heathrow Airport from America.

Liam, aged 17 and from Bushbury, touched down in London yesterday sparking hysteria, after spending the week in Los Angeles with band members Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Niall Horan.

News of the band’s arrival spread quickly and within minutes a crowd of up to 100 screaming girls with camera phones surrounded them.

Airport staff soon intervened, ushering the teenagers to a waiting police van.

Irish singer songwriter Ronan Keating was reportedly on the same flight — but fans only had eyes for One Direction.

Liam and the rest of the band had been in the US with X Factor finalist Cher Lloyd, from Malvern, to meet producers before recording their first album.

It was reported last week they had shared £2 million after signing to Simon Cowell’s Syco record label, although the band’s agent refused to confirm the deal.

Before launching their own careers, both acts will be on the X Factor tour.

It starts on February 19 at Birmingham’s LG Arena, and features the show’s finalists including Dudley’s Wagner Carrilho.