Kimberley Walsh pays tribute to Sarah Harding on what would be her 40th birthday

SINGER Kimberley Walsh has told how she wished she and Sarah Harding had celebrated their birthdays together on what would have been the late star's 40th.

The Morning Live presenter, 39, took to her Instagram yesterday to share a heartfelt tribute to her late Girls Aloud bandmate alongside several photos of them on nights out throughout the years.

Kimberley captioned the post: "Today is a very strange day. We have celebrated so many birthdays together over the years so this feels very surreal.

"I hoped with all my heart that we would be celebrating our 40th’s together too as we planned.

"You ALWAYS brought the party and I have spent today reflecting and reliving all the amazing memories we made."

Sarah, who had breast cancer, died in September after revealing she had been diagnosed with the disease in August 2020.

In light of Sarah's birthday yesterday, former bandmate Cheryl also posted an emotional video montage dedicated to the late star on what would have been her 40th birthday.

The collection of clips also features the pair with their three Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle and Kimberly.

Alongside the video, which runs while Memories by Maroon 5 plays, Cheryl, 38, wrote: "Memories may be all we're left with, but they're enough to last a lifetime #Sarahs40th."

During the clip Kimberley can be heard discussing the girls' early days in Popstars: The Rivals.

She says: "Seeing this blonde bombshell running around the auditions like a madwoman."

Cheryl adds: "[She] Always stood out as her own character, and kind of a crazy one that was just unique and in her own world."

Cheryl has confessed to struggling with Sarah's death and pulled out of Birmingham Pride and said she was too upset to perform.

She wrote: "Saying goodbye to somebody you spent such a massive piece of your life with is like nothing else.

"My heart is heavy, grief is such a harsh experience and an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. Questions without answers and pain without resolve, so tumultuous and constant."

And it seems that all of the girls are understandably still coming to the terms with the loss, as Kimberley recently confirmed plans for a Girls Aloud reunion have been put "on hold".

She said: "It’s not really something we’re even thinking about obviously, with the situation as it is. No one is even in that headspace right now."