RELIEVED Sherborne St John residents have heaped praise on the emergency services and local authorities for helping them after a gas explosion alert led to a day-long evacuation ordeal.

More than 150 residents in Spring Close returned to their homes at around 8.30am yesterday - 26 hours after they had been told to leave because a van containing potentially explosive gas had caught fire.

Although several people were able to stay with family or friends, around 50 were reliant on the actions of others to provide them with shelter and temporary accommodation throughout the evacuation period.

The drama began when a white transit van belonging to a refrigeration and air-conditioning company caught fire in the road shortly before 5am on Wednesday.

Basingstoke's two Green Goddess crews, which have been on duty during the eight-day firefighters' strike, quickly doused the flames but discovered a gas cylinder containing flammable and dangerous acetylene was in the van.

Home Office guidance states this must be cooled for 24 hours before it is declared safe, so a 200 metre cordon was placed around the scene, Spring Close was closed and all residents within it had to be evacuated.

During the evacuation, the Sherborne St John Social Club, which normally only opens during the evening, provided shelter for all those with nowhere else to go.

An ambulance crew was dispatched to be on standby and to co-ordinate medication for those who had left their own behind in the rush to evacuate. Police officers remained both at the scene and in the social club to provide support for residents.

Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke borough council implemented their emergency planning procedures, with the former arranging for social workers to join the residents throughout the day, and the latter booking rooms at the Apollo Hotel in Basingstoke for all those without overnight accommodation. The borough council also used its new shuttle buses to ferry residents to the hotel and back to their homes.

Amanda Marsh, who was evacuated with husband Alan and two young children Tamara and Gerard, said: "I thought the emergency services and the local authorities did brilliantly.

"We didn't expect to be out of our homes for so long, but they helped to make it easier and we'd like to thank them all.

"None of the residents complained - in fact the mood throughout was quite jovial. It was a very long and frustrating time. We all know each other a little better now, and are obviously just glad to back in our homes."

Inspector Steve James, of Basing-stoke police, said: "The welfare of residents and the safety of the community was our priority. We urged them to remain patient and would like to thank them for their assistance."

Spring Close was finally declared safe at 8am yesterday, allowing residents to return to their homes shortly afterwards. The police were yesterday still investigating how the fire started.