Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling to make substantial donation to Grenfell Tower fire victims

At least 17 people lost their lives at the 24-storey council housing tower block in north Kensington, with the death toll expected to rise significantly

Raheem Sterling was raised in north-west London from the age of five (Getty)

Raheem Sterling, the Manchester City winger, has announced that he will make a substantial financial donation to help those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

At least 17 people lost their lives at the 24-storey council housing tower block in north Kensington in the early hours of Tuesday morning, though with as many as 76 others missing, the death toll is expected to rise significantly.

As specialist search and rescue teams attempt to make the structure safe for investigation, police believe some of those some of those killed in the flats may never be identified.

Sterling was raised in north-west London, emigrating to Wembley from his birthplace of Kingston, Jamaica at the age of five.

The 22-year-old began his career at Queens Park Rangers, whose stadium, Loftus Road, is approximately a mile away from the tower block.

“This is a deep and sad situation, one that's close to my heart and hard to swallow. I would like to help in the best way I can,” Sterling told BBC Sport.

“It is only a small step, but small steps lead to big changes if we all come together. My condolences to the affected families, also the individuals who lost their homes.”

Sterling left QPR's academy for Liverpool at the age of 15, where he would go on to establish himself as one of English football's most exciting young talents.

In the summer of 2015, Sterling completed a controversial £49m move to City. The winger has 32 international caps with England, scoring two goals.

Additional reporting by PA