A former Ukip parliamentary candidate is celebrating after raising nearly £6,000 for the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

David Meacock, who is also a professional musician, has revealed he is donating £5,753 after his Messiah 4 Grenfell group “exceeded all expectations”.

The Grenfell Tower disaster claimed the lives of dozens of people after a fire broke out in one of the apartments on June 14.

Money was raised after Mr Meacock – who ran in the 2015 General Election to be Wycombe MP – organised a benefit concert in South Kensington.

As well as conducting the 260-strong choir and nearly 30-piece orchestra, he relinquished the podium to Malcolm Hicks, who for many years played the organ for the Last Night of the Proms, to also sing the tenor solos.

All the money will now go to Family Action Charity.

Chief executive David Holmes CBE said: “These funds will allow us to continue to help people through our Grenfell Tower Grants Service. To date we have given 246 grants totalling £318,000.

“Grants have met a wide range of needs like replacing items destroyed by the fire such as toys, clothes, furniture and IT equipment.”

For more information, visit family-action.org.uk