Sunderland-born singer Emeli Sande joins Simon Cowell's Grenfell Tower charity single

Emeli Sande is among the stars who have contributed to the Grenfell Tower disaster single Bridge Over Troubled Water. Pic: PA.

She was among a host of chart-toppers who arrived at a recording studio in the shadow of the burnt out 24-storey block to contribute to the project.

Sande, who was awarded an MBE this week for services to music, said it was a "real pleasure" to sing on the track.

Emeli Sande arrives at the West London recording studio to record her part for the single, which is the brainchild of X Factor mogul Simon Cowell. Pic: PA.

"It's really inspiring to see people come together," she said, "It gives you hope in humanity."

As for the song, she added: "It sounds beautiful."

X Factor winner Louisa Johnson and Emeli Sande, awarded an MBE this week for services to music, were among those spotted at Sarm music studios for the project.

Organiser Simon Cowell said he hoped the single, a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's hit Bridge Over Troubled Water, will raise millions to help those caught up in Wednesday's blaze.

Johnson said: "The amount of people that have actually agreed to it and gone out of there way to do it is incredible, especially how busy some of these people are.

"I feel honoured to be a part of it so to be hear to today is really important."

Others taking part in the project include Pixie Lott, X Factor winner Louisa Johnson, Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones, Rita Ora, Leona Lewis and Britain's Got Talent 2017 winner Tokio Myers.

Pitch Battle chorister Gareth Malone said he had put together an ensemble of 300 people, made up of local choirs and local people.

He said: "He [Simon Cowell] is from ITV, I'm from the BBC, and it felt like a really nice message about working together. I just think we need something really positive at the moment.

"Singing absolutely cannot fix anything, a record cannot fix anything, but we might be able to raise some money, we might be able to touch a few hearts.

"To be frank I don't care what it sounds like, it's just about doing something good."