A gas engineer is among six people injured in an explosion in Gateshead that tore apart a house yesterday evening.

All six people are in stable condition and have been treated in hospital after the explosion, which occurred at 5:30pm yesterday evening. The blast destroyed the roof and front of the building.

The six people included a gas engineer, a paramedic, and the house's elderly occupant.

Northumbria Police have said that the Health & Safety Executive is now carrying out an investigation into the explosion.

Reports have said that police were attending the property, with a gas engineer, and paramedics already on the scene, when the explosion occurred, after a strong smell of gas was reported to the authorities.

The blast happened as the building's occupants were being evacuated, and three police officers were also injured.

Northern Gas Networks, which operates the local gas supply, said there had been no issue with the gas network in that area before the explosion.