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Criminal charges over the Grenfell Tower fire are unlikely to be brought before the "latter part of 2021", police have said.

Scotland Yard said it would pass a file to prosecutors after the second phase of the continuing public inquiry into the disaster.

The force said it "would be wrong" not to take into account evidence given to the independent hearing.

A total of 72 people were killed as a result of the fire in June 2017.

Lead investigator Det Supt Matt Bonner said the timelines of the inquiry and the police probe were "inextricably linked".

He said officers must "consider all relevant information", including evidence and findings from the inquiry, for their investigation to be "considered thorough and complete".

'Longer than anticipated'

The inquiry previously said it was unlikely that phase two of public hearings would begin before the end of 2019.

Scotland Yard said: "The Met's assessment is that any file submission to the Crown Prosecution Service is unlikely to be sooner than the latter part of 2021."

Det Supt Bonner said officers were in regular contact with Grenfell survivors and bereaved families and had informed them of the timeline.

"I know this is longer than some might have anticipated, but the police must ensure all the available evidence is considered before any file is submitted to the CPS," he added.