LITTLE ANGEL GEORGE KILLED IN GAS BLAST
THE parents of a two-year-old boy paid tribute to their “beautiful little angel” yesterday after he was killed in a huge explosion which ripped through terraced houses.
Vicky Studholme, 41, and Stephen Hinds, 42, who were not seriously injured in the blast, said they were devastated by the loss of their little son George.
Another man and woman were seriously hurt and were being treated in hospital last night.
The blast happened in Heysham, Lancashire, at around 2.40am, leaving three properties badly damaged after what is thought to have been a gas leak. One witness described it as “like a scene out of a war film”.
Another, Louise Stansfield, 51, said: “It was absolutely terrifying. I heard this out-of-this-world explosion. It sounded like an aeroplane landing on the roof. It shook the whole house.
“I went outside to try to help but I’m unsteady on my feet and there was rubble everywhere. I could see a man’s head in the rubble and another woman was screaming, ‘I’m up here’. I think it was his wife who was still in bed. There were a lot of people screaming hysterically.”
Emilie Downie, 18, said she thought it was an earthquake caused by the nearby power station.
“I saw Steve Hinds walk away from the blast,” she said. “His wife was trapped under a wardrobe, but they couldn’t get her out because the beam on top of it was the only thing holding the roof up.”
Precious
The explosion was heard nine miles away and debris was found 300 yards from the homes.
George’s parents said: “We are devastated at the loss of our beautiful George. He was so precious to us.
“We have no more words to describe how we feel and just want time to ourselves to come to terms with what has happened.
“Our beautiful little angel grew his wings today.”
The Hurley Flyer pub in nearby Morecambe offered itself as a refuge after the blast. It also launched a GoFundMe appeal for the victims, raising £24,000 in just a few hours.