Man killed in house gas explosion

A man has died and another person is still missing after a gas explosion which destroyed a terraced house, police said.

Neighbours spoke of their shock at the severity of the explosion in Newark, Nottinghamshire, which reduced the property to rubble and prompted police to warn local people to remain indoors.

Fire crews found the man's body during a search of the rubble after the house collapsed.

The explosion happened just before 5.15pm on Sunday at an address in Wright Street, Nottinghamshire Police said.

Searches have been suspended while the property is made safe, but police said they will resume later in a bid to find another person who is believed to still be in the house.

More than 100 people were evacuated from their nearby homes as a precaution and a rest centre has been set up at the nearby Grove Leisure Centre.

A woman and two children were taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham for treatment for smoke inhalation and have since been discharged. A man who suffered serious injuries and smoke inhalation remains in hospital.

A number of roads are closed off in the immediate vicinity and diversions are in place, police said.

Local resident Dan Walker, who lives around 100 yards from the scene, told Sky News that children could be heard screaming in the moments after the blast.

Mr Walker said: ''I was in the back garden just doing some gardening and there was an almighty bang, and the floor shook. It sounded like a bomb had gone off down the road."