ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Theresa May faced a backlash from angry victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy after she failed to speak to members of the public during a visit to the scene of the fire.

The Prime Minister spoke to emergency services on Thursday morning before announcing a full inquiry into the blaze in which at least 17 people were killed.

But nearby volunteers, who have gathered at churches and sports halls near the tower to help victims, criticised Mrs May for not visiting the centres.

Dee Baxter, whose friend lost her stepdad in the fire in the early hours of Wednesday, said: "It's disgusting. She should maybe come down and help out.

“We don't want to hear what she has to say if she doesn't want to speak to us.

Grenfell Tower donations and tributes - In pictures 36 show all Grenfell Tower donations and tributes - In pictures 1/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 2/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 3/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 4/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 5/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 6/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 7/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 8/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 9/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 10/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 11/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 12/36 Flowers are left as a tribute near the burning 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower Getty Images 13/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 14/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 15/36 People sort donated products at a five-a-side pitch at Westway sports centre Getty Images 16/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 17/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 18/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 19/36 Donations outside Latymer Community Church after a fire engulfed Grenfell Tower PA 20/36 The aftermath of the fire in North Kensington as the community rallies round. Blankets being donated to the Westfield Community Centre Nigel Howard 21/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 22/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 23/36 A comment left among tributes close to Grenfell Tower PA 24/36 A schoolgirl looks at messages of support for victims, missing and those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower AP 25/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 26/36 Donations at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 27/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 28/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 29/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 30/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 31/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 32/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 33/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 34/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 35/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 36/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 1/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 2/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 3/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 4/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 5/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 6/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 7/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 8/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 9/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 10/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 11/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 12/36 Flowers are left as a tribute near the burning 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower Getty Images 13/36 Locals look through clothes and food at Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 14/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 15/36 People sort donated products at a five-a-side pitch at Westway sports centre Getty Images 16/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 17/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 18/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 19/36 Donations outside Latymer Community Church after a fire engulfed Grenfell Tower PA 20/36 The aftermath of the fire in North Kensington as the community rallies round. Blankets being donated to the Westfield Community Centre Nigel Howard 21/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 22/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 23/36 A comment left among tributes close to Grenfell Tower PA 24/36 A schoolgirl looks at messages of support for victims, missing and those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower AP 25/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 26/36 Donations at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 27/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 28/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 29/36 Donations of clothing and food at the Westway sports centre Jeremy Selwyn 30/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 31/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 32/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower PA 33/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 34/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 35/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell 36/36 Tributes left close to Grenfell Tower Jonathan Mitchell

"Come and help us pack up the boxes, come and help the people who now have no parents."

Hundreds of people who lost their homes in the devastating blaze are taking shelter in sports halls, churches and community centres across Notting Hill.

Volunteers have been travelling between the centres with boxes of food, water and clothes for the victims.

It is still not known how many people died in the fire, with firefighters having said they are not expecting to find anyone alive inside the block.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visited the scene and told locals: "We have to get to the bottom of this - the truth has got to come out and it will."

He hugged one woman as she told him about a missing 12-year-old girl who had been on the 20th floor of the tower, vowing: “We will speak up for this community, we will speak up with this community. We cannot allow people to live in a dangerous state.

"And that is a worry obviously but the resources have to be found and we will demand and make sure that resources are."

Retired nurse and midwife Marjorie Bahhaj said after Mrs May declined to speak to locals: "How can she do that? She needs to be in there listening and acknowledging their needs.

"It would have been nice if she could have been here yesterday, all meetings should have been cancelled given the crisis."

Volunteer Emily Williams said: "No-one from the government has been here and spoke to us volunteers.

"Me and my daughter have been here since 8 o clock this morning and Theresa May was just outside and we didn't even see her."

The fire has sparked criticism of safety measures inside the tower block, with residents having complained to officials before the deadly blaze.

Mrs May spoke to fire officials investigating the scene during her brief visit.

Charles Bauccio, 72, said: "It's not good. I'm very surprised that she came and didn't speak to the victims.

Grenfell Tower Firefighters - In pictures 24 show all Grenfell Tower Firefighters - In pictures 1/24 A firefighter pours water over his head after battling a huge fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 2/24 Firefighters spray water after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west Londo PA 3/24 A firefighter investigates a floor after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 4/24 Firefighters rest as they take a break in battling a massive fire that raged in a high-rise apartment building in London AP 5/24 A firefighter close at the scene after a fire engulfed the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 6/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Alex Lentati 7/24 The moment a resident is carried out of the Grenfell Tower block by fire bridgae and riot police carrying shield Sky News 8/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 9/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Alex Lentati 10/24 Emergency services gather close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 11/24 Firefighters rest as they take a break in battling a massive fire that raged in a high-rise apartment building in London AP 12/24 Firefighters wait to start their shift after a massive fire raged in a 27-floor high-rise apartment building in London AP 13/24 Firefighters stand amid debris in a childrens playground near a tower block severly damaged by a serious fire, in north Kensington, West London REUTERS 14/24 Emergency services gather close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 15/24 Firefighters react as a huge fire engulfs the Grenfell Tower AFP/Getty Images 16/24 Emergency personnel operate during the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 27-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 17/24 A firefighter rests during the ballte against the blaze at Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 18/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Nigel Howard 19/24 A London Fire Brigade worker moves air tanks close to the scene of a fire that engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 20/24 Firefighters spray water after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 21/24 Fire crews rest as they take part in the operation to put out a fire in a high rise apartment block in London AP 22/24 A firemen reacts after battling a huge fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 23/24 Residents were trapped "screaming for their lives" as flames raged through a 27-storey tower block in Notting Hill Alex Lentati 24/24 Emergency services spray water towards a fire that engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 1/24 A firefighter pours water over his head after battling a huge fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 2/24 Firefighters spray water after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west Londo PA 3/24 A firefighter investigates a floor after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 4/24 Firefighters rest as they take a break in battling a massive fire that raged in a high-rise apartment building in London AP 5/24 A firefighter close at the scene after a fire engulfed the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 6/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Alex Lentati 7/24 The moment a resident is carried out of the Grenfell Tower block by fire bridgae and riot police carrying shield Sky News 8/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 9/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Alex Lentati 10/24 Emergency services gather close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 11/24 Firefighters rest as they take a break in battling a massive fire that raged in a high-rise apartment building in London AP 12/24 Firefighters wait to start their shift after a massive fire raged in a 27-floor high-rise apartment building in London AP 13/24 Firefighters stand amid debris in a childrens playground near a tower block severly damaged by a serious fire, in north Kensington, West London REUTERS 14/24 Emergency services gather close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 15/24 Firefighters react as a huge fire engulfs the Grenfell Tower AFP/Getty Images 16/24 Emergency personnel operate during the fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 27-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 17/24 A firefighter rests during the ballte against the blaze at Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn 18/24 Emergency services close to the scene after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London Nigel Howard 19/24 A London Fire Brigade worker moves air tanks close to the scene of a fire that engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 20/24 Firefighters spray water after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA 21/24 Fire crews rest as they take part in the operation to put out a fire in a high rise apartment block in London AP 22/24 A firemen reacts after battling a huge fire at the Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey apartment block in North Kensington, London EPA 23/24 Residents were trapped "screaming for their lives" as flames raged through a 27-storey tower block in Notting Hill Alex Lentati 24/24 Emergency services spray water towards a fire that engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London PA

"The reaction of the community is overwhelming, I've worked all day yesterday and my daughter until 3 o clock in the morning."

The Prime Minister faced backlash from celebrities and activists for her decision not to meet with residents, with some describing the decision as “shameful”.

Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan tweeted: “If it's true Theresa May didn't meet ANY survivors or relatives of the dead on her #Grenfell visit today, that's an absolute disgrace.”

And Green Wing actor Stephen Mangan wrote: “If Theresa May doesn’t get how appalling not meeting the Grenfell residents looks/is, you’d think an adviser would point it out to her.”

Writer and activist Jack Monroe tweeted: “Theresa May is going to visit the Grenfell site 'privately' and is apparently refusing to meet residents. Wow.”

And journalist and left-wing campaigner Owen Jones dubbed her actions “just appalling”.