FIREFIGHTERS say it is a miracle that a couple escaped virtually unhurt from a gas explosion which demolished their home.

The blast hurled 30-year-old mother-of-three Marie Johnson through the ground floor front window and into the front garden of her home in Eamont Road, Norton, Stockton.

Emergency services arrived to find Jason Bell, 30, her partner, wandering around dazed, but otherwise unhurt.

What remained of their semi-detached house will be pulled down over the weekend. The future of the house next door, which was badly damaged in the blast, is uncertain.

Other houses in the neighbourhood were damaged by flying masonry and glass.

Fire Station Officer Alan Powles said: "I can't believe they actually came out of there unscathed. I have only seen two explosions like this in 25 years' service. The woman was blown out clean through the window.''

Luckily, the couple's three children were sleeping over at their grandparents' home when the explosion occurred, triggered when Marie went to light a gas fire which is suspected to have had a leak.

The back wall of the house was completely blown out.

Twenty fire fighters were called to the scene. Crews sent into what remained of the house had to be almost instantaneously recalled for their own safety.

Mr Powles said: "The gable end started to shift and a great crack appeared: I had to pull the teams out - it was far, far too dangerous.

"We responded to what was initially thought to be a house fire but when we turned into the road the first thing that hit me was the amount of rubble strewn across the road.

"A spokeswoman for Transco said the dangerous condition of the house and subsequent demolition work had meant they had been unable to complete their investigations to establish the exact cause of the explosion.''

Jason and Marie had returned home late after a night out. Firefighters smelt gas on their arrival at the scene on the Norton Grange housing estate.

The couple were discharged from hospital at the weekend and are understood to be staying with relatives in the area.