Furious and frightened residents called for independent health screening after a leaked report into soil contamination following the Grenfell Tower fire highlighted potential problems.

Professor Anna Stec’s study suggests there could be toxic contaminants in soil near Grenfell and the surrounding area.

A packed Kensington & Chelsea Council (RBKC) meeting on Wednesday night (October 17) heard from Clarrie Mendy who described how she worked in the devastated community almost everyday “for months” after the fatal blaze in 2017.

She later underwent months of tests after noticing problems with her voice. Cancer was ruled out but Ms Mendy, who lost relatives at Grenfell, said she was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

She said was told toxins could have caused the illness.

"I feel let down," she said at the meeting. "There's been no support.I do not wish this on anyone.”

In response council leader Elizabeth Campbell said: "I really do support your courage & determination ...we are going to be on our residents side, we take our residents' concerns seriously" .

Members of the public called out “do your own tests” at the meeting to urge the council to do more.

Others told the council they did not trust it and called out “sixteen months too late”, after June 2017’s catastrophic fire.

Speaker Terry Edge told the meeting he had spoken with Professor Stec and said she called for people to ask for health checks.

Notting Dale ward councillor Judith Blakeman said in the days after the fire the streets around Grenfell Tower were a "thick black mess" and children were playing in it.

"So many parents came up to me and expressed concern about their children's health after the concerns about soil contamination were raised this week," she said.

Opposition leader Robert Atkinson said it was "quite clear" that residents went to the meeting "expecting answers".

Residents challenged the council over whether it knew about concerns to do with the soil back in the winter.

Cllr Campbell said she did not think so.

Video Loading

Chief executive Barry Quirk told residents an expert had spoken in a conference call of 20 people but there had been no report.

The council’s acting director of public health pledged: “I can tell you I am committed to getting to the bottom of this. I was at Hillsborough. I certified people dead at Hillsborough. I commit to getting to the bottom of this.”

He is one of the experts who will speak at a public meeting about the concerns over possible soil contamination on October 29.

Residents also staged a protest outside the town hall.