MAN DIES AFTER GAS EXPLOSION DESTROYS BUNGALOW NEAR MILTON KEYNES

A man in his 60s has died in hospital following a suspected gas explosion that destroyed a bungalow in Newton Longville, near Milton Keynes, on Sunday. The explosion occurred at 09:45 BST on 10 August at a property on Cobb Hall Road. The man was taken to hospital with injuries sustained in the blast and died on Thursday. Thames Valley Police confirmed his death and said the force is managing a coronial investigation into the circumstances of the explosion and property collapse, working jointly with the Health and Safety Executive.

Witnesses in the village reported that the blast sounded like "a bomb just dropped in the village". The gas distribution company SGN said an engineer arrived within 16 minutes of receiving a call from a member of the public just after midnight on Sunday. SGN stated it had been "advised by the HSE that they are no longer looking at our physical network as part of their investigation" and that "the gas network remains safe and secure". A cordon remains in place at the scene, affecting 24 properties in the area.

Thames Valley Police's Detective Inspector Philip Turner-Robson said inquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened. Buckinghamshire Council's deputy leader Peter Strachan said the council's priority is the safety and wellbeing of residents affected by the incident. Local residents who were forced from their homes were offered support, with The Crooked Billet pub serving as a hub for displaced residents during the response.