A HAMPSHIRE family evacuated from their house after a gas explosion are back home in time for Christmas.

Diane and Paul Phippen and their children, Gregory, 14, Curtis, 11, and eight-year-old Reece, had to leave their home in Romsey after a gas explosion wrecked the house next door.

Tony Lockyer, 39, made his escape from the house next door with only minor burns, despite major damage to the building meaning it must be demolished.

The Phippen family were not allowed back inside their own house for a week and were put up by gas company Transco in bed and breakfast accommodation at Ower.

Diane, 37, said: "We stayed with my parents for the first two nights because we thought it was going to be quick, but we had a lot of gas trapped in the wall cavity and under the floor and Transco wanted to make sure the property was safe before we were allowed back in."

Transco sent a team in to clean the house and took away curtains, bedding and clothes for treatment for smoke damage.

Diane added: "We have minimal damage to the house - a few cracks in the ceiling but structurally at this time it's okay. We're just very pleased that we are all alive and the children are glad they are home for Christ-mas. The children didn't miss any time from school at all - they borrowed school uniforms and we tried to keep things as normal as possible for them."

Mr Lockyer has been staying with his brother Steve and sister-in-law Sue in Sutherland Close, Romsey, since the explosion.

Sue said: "He's fine. He's found somewhere to rent in Romsey and hopefully he'll be in there in the new year. They're going to knock the house down to about 4ft and then rebuild it from that. I think it will take up to seven months to complete."

Geoff Aspel from Transco said: "We are still carrying out an investigation into the explosion which we expect to conclude in mid January."