Notting Hill Carnival to show ‘regard and respect’ to Grenfell Tower tragedy

Notting Hill Carnival will show "regard and respect" to the Grenfell Tower disaster when it is staged in its shadow over the bank holiday.

Performers in the world-famous event have been asked to lower the volume of their music and walk respectfully in memory of those who died as they pass near to the burnt-out shell of the high-rise block.

A dedicated area will also be set up to allow people to leave tributes, while police are to form a ring around the Lancaster West estate to protect it from the hundreds of thousands of passing revellers.

:: Grenfell: Remembering the victims

Posters have been put up at spots where the tower is visible, asking the public not to take photographs "at the site of our great loss".

Resident Huey Walker, 39, who has been involved in the run-up to the carnival, said: "I think people see it as an opportunity to continue the healing of what’s happened in the community and keep the message of what’s happened in the public eye as well.

"People are still struggling with being rehoused, they are still pursuing justice, this is ongoing.

"And even for those people who don’t like carnival, these actions are important to show the carnival isn’t just going on regardless, it’s showing regard and respect to what’s happening."

The carnival will open on Sunday morning with a prayer and release of doves as a "small act of remembrance", and will continue on Monday.

On both days at 3pm, festival-goers are expected to observe a minute’s silence to mark the tragedy, which claimed the lives of at least 80 people.

Chair of the carnival trust Pepe Francis said he hoped the festivities would "lift the spirits of people".

He said: "Obviously there’s varying views, some people feel it shouldn’t. But the majority feel it should, and it should be one of the best carnivals."

As part of policing plans for the event, steel barriers, concrete blocks and weapons checks will be in place to help guard against the threat of a Barcelona-style terror attack and acid attacks.

Officers also plan to use facial recognition technology in a bid to spot those thought to be likely to cause trouble.

Meanwhile, it has emerged hotel bills and expenses resulting from the fire have so far cost the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) more than £6.3m.

This figure includes more than £4.2m being spent on emergency accommodation for hundreds of survivors since 14 June.

A series of fire safety tests carried out on cladding on high-rise tower blocks following the Grenfell disaster have also now concluded and found 228 buildings at risk.

An independent review of building regulations and fire safety was announced by the Government last month.

(c) Sky News 2017: Notting Hill Carnival to show ‘regard and respect’ to Grenfell Tower tragedy