Lamiat Sabin reports from Ladbroke Grove

NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL fell silent for 72 seconds today to remember the 72 people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

DJs stopped playing music from the parade truck floats and speaker stacks so that revellers could pay their respects to the dead.

The victims were killed by the fire in the nearby tower block that broke out on June 14, 2017. 

The remains of the tower still stands covered by plastic less than half a mile off the parade route.

Signs were dotted around the streets that read: “Please respect 72 seconds’ silence for Grenfell.”

Police officers and emergency medics also took part in the silence.

The 72-second silence will also take place on the carnival’s second day today at 3pm.

Thousands of people thronged the baking streets of Notting Hill to celebrate the neighbourhood’s Caribbean heritage.

The Met Office said temperatures in the Notting Hill area reached 33°C yesterday.

The hottest late August bank holiday on record was 31.5°C in 2001.

Meteorologist Steven Keates said: “It’s looking like this is one of the hottest carnivals ever.”

About one million people are expected to flock to the west London area for the colourful annual street party that has fallen on the August bank holiday for more than 50 years.

The free event started in response to the 1958 race riots – which saw the first widespread racial attacks in Britain.

Almost 12,500 police officers and some 1,000 stewards have been in place across the two-day event to ensure a “safe and spectacular” street party.