Five men have been arrested after a video showed a group of people laughing, cheering and mocking residents of Grenfell Tower while burning a cardboard effigy of the block of flats.

The "sickening" video, which was described by the Prime Minister as "utterly unacceptable”, was shared on the instant messaging service Whatsapp and appears to have been taken over the weekend.

Scotland Yard said on Monday they were investigating the video. The force said early on Tuesday that five men, aged 49, 19, 46, 55 and 49, had been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.

The group handed themselves in to a south London police station at 10pm on Monday, police said.

Posting on Twitter, Theresa May said: “To disrespect those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower, as well as their families and loved ones, is utterly unacceptable.”

Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy, who is leading the investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire, said his team would fully investigate any offences committed.