Theresa May is "distraught" by the Grenfell Tower block fire, her most senior minister has said ahead of a meeting with survivors of the disaster at Downing Street.

The meeting comes amid criticism levelled at the Prime Minister for not meeting those caught up in the fire in the immediate wake of the tragedy which killed at least 30 people, with the figure expected to rise.

At least 70 people, including children and entire families, have been reported missing following the fire.

Earlier on Saturday, Mrs May chaired a Government task force on the disaster.

She will meet victims, volunteers and community leaders afterwards.

On Thursday Mrs May met the emergency services at the scene of the blaze, while on Friday she visited victims in hospital and met survivors, residents, volunteers and community leaders in Kensington.

Some 19 people remain in four London hospitals, 10 of who are in critical conditions.

However, there was unhappiness that the Prime Minister's visit to victims came more than 48 hours after the disaster.

Defending the way Mrs May had handled the tragedy, First Secretary of State, Damian Green said suggestions the Prime Minister does not seem to have what it takes to respond to such a disaster were "terribly unfair".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "She's distraught by what happened as we all are...

"Absolutely she has the same degree of sympathy and horror at these events that we all have," he added.

Mr Green said the Government expected to appoint a chairman to lead the public inquiry "in days rather than weeks".

"We want it to be able to have interim reports as well," he added.

"So this is not going to be one of those exercises of using a public inquiry to delay a response. Actually, we want the response to be as fast as possible."

Mr Green said the probe will look at whether sprinklers should be retrofitted to tower blocks and the Government will "follow the recommendations of the public inquiry".