A thankful woman has been counting her blessings after her parents had a miraculous escape from a gas explosion which blew their home to pieces.

Linda Gunter, 47, of Malwood Drive, Benfleet, received a call from police on April Fool's Day and first thought it must be a joke.

Ms Gunter said today: "When I realised it wasn't a joke my next thought was of a car accident."

She was then told how her parents' home in Corsham, near Bath, had exploded in flames when Linda's mother lit the grill to prepare breakfast.

Linda said: "My mother said she had not smelt any gas so lit the grill as normal." Her mother, Sarah Goall, 68, suffered burns to her face, hands, arms and back and is still recovering in hospital.

David Goall, 69, who had been in bed at the time, was trapped for nearly an hour when the ceiling rafters collapsed and pinned him to the bed. He is recovering in a different hospital and the couple have yet to be reunited after the accident.

Linda said: "They are really lucky to be alive. Someone was definitely looking after them that day.

"The worst thing is they have lost everything. It was their 47th wedding anniversary the day after the explosion and now they have nothing to show for 47 years together."

Linda said it is the little things they will miss most, like pictures of their grandchildren, 12-year-old twins, Jamie and Danny.

Drama - firefighters get to grips with the wreckage of the home after the gas blast

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