One Direction Belfast show: Band 'should have gone on stage to explain why they cancelled On the Road Again gig'

One Direction should have gone on stage to explain why they were cancelling a show, fans have said.

Harry Styles said the boyband was "very sorry" for calling off Tuesday's show.

Excited teenagers and their mothers queued early at the SSE Arena in Belfast for tonight's gig.

Leah McDonald, 15, from Belfast, claimed last night's ticket holders had been treated unfairly.

"They could have come on stage themselves and cancelled it. They should have let fans know earlier than they did."

She bought her tickets last Christmas but had been concerned tonight's performance would also be scrapped.

"It was obviously very upsetting for fans, we were worried that this would be cancelled as well."

Olivia Rice, also aged 15, from Armagh, said the uncertainty had not ruined the excitement.

She learned about last night's no-show through Facebook.

"I thought it was a joke and went on Twitter and saw it was not a joke and saw a video of the man talking on stage so I thought tonight would be cancelled as well."

Pauline Ward, from Ballinamallard in Co Fermanagh in Northern Ireland's west, brought her daughter and said they were regular attenders at One Direction concerts.

"I just like their energy and songs and music, they seem lovely boys."

She said rumours had circulated about the reasons for the cancellation and she had also feared the worst for tonight's gig.

"It was a long time before we found out if we were going to go tonight. I was sitting at work on tenterhooks, it was a bit annoying, how long does it take to make a decision that the concerts are going ahead?"

She said she was disappointed for ticket holders last night.

"Hearing of other families who have travelled from Holland, France, places like that, that have lost all that money, that have cost all that money, the expense of driving up, it is terrible."