Police are investigating after an explosion caused the roof of a bungalow to fall in.

Officers are treating the blast, which caused extensive damage to the inside of the building, as suspicious.

Northumbria Police were called to the bungalow in Forest Hall, North Tyneside, at 9.15pm on Saturday. Neighbours had reported a noise and when police arrived they found part of the roof had collapsed.

Forensic experts said there was no gas present, and investigations are under way to find the cause.

Neighbours said the empty property had been for sale for more than three years and had been stripped twice by thieves.

Retired couple Ronald and Mary Charlton, who live yards away, said it sounded as though a bomb had gone off.

Mr Charlton said: "There was a huge bang like a roll of thunder, followed by a bright flash."

A police spokesman said: "There was an explosion in the porch, but we don't know exactly what caused it.