A Newcastle United footballer has told Sky News he rushed to Grenfell Tower to provide survivors with food, water and clothing on the night the building caught fire.

Yasin Ben El Mhanni was visiting his parents in West London on the night of the blaze.

As news of the fire spread, the 21-year-old winger ran to the building knowing friends were trapped inside.

El Mhanni stood helplessly watching the 24 storey tower burn but later gathered friends to help with the relief effort.

He collected water, food and clothing for the survivors as they were evacuated from the tower.


"I was very emotional to be there and see something like that happen.

"That's not normal.

"You just don't see that," he said as he relived the horror of witnessing the inferno.

"You never think or imagine you would see anything like that happen."

Image: More than 70 people have been confirmed as having died in the Grenfell fire

Yasin grew up kicking a ball on the streets around Grenfell Tower.

He moved to Newcastle last year after he signed for Rafa Benitez's Championship-winning team.

Next season he hopes to make his Premier League debut but those dreams have been put on hold as he struggles to come to terms with what he saw a fortnight ago.

At times during the interview he just shook his head and said he had been left speechless by the devastation.

Image: Candles left in memory of those who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire

Yasin is the son of North African immigrants and was born in a hospital very close to Grenfell Tower.

"I used to play in the Westway, three pitches just underneath the tower block. Literally right underneath it.

"I was in and around that block all the time. It's part of where I have grown up.

"You can't take that picture out of your mind. It's heartbreaking.

"I knew some people in there. Because it's the Moroccan community, whenever I go to the mosque you are always bumping into people who live in that tower.

"To know something like that has happened is just crazy. To see it is just crazy. You don't know if it's real or not.

"Me and a few boys were helping buy food and water. We brought over a lot of clothes to give to the people who were affected because they lost everything in that building. Whatever they left that building with is what they have left.

"It's not normal so people aren't going to get over it overnight. I know everybody's distraught and sad. People have lost their parents, lost their kids. A lot of lives have been lost."

Image: Many survivors have lost everything but the clothes they were wearing

He takes hope from the Grenfell community's response to the tragedy.

He said: "It is a strong community and there are strong people there and I do believe that over time things will change.

"But it's going to be difficult".

Yasin hopes his sport will in some way help youngsters from his community to heal and help them to cope with the trauma of the past fortnight.

"I can say with my hand on my heart football is a good way out. It gives people hope and it gives people belief.

"It brings all sorts of people together. Everyone comes together and enjoys just kicking a little football around."