Man dies in house blast

An elderly man has died and his wife is seriously ill following an explosion at a retirement complex.

Emergency services were called to Whiteley Village in Hersham, Surrey, at 1120 GMT on Monday.

A bungalow was destroyed in what is thought to have been a gas explosion.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the critically injured woman was taken to St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey.

'Not suspicious'

Thirty firefighters were continuing to sift through the rubble.

A Surrey Police spokeswoman said the cause of the explosion was still being investigated but early indications were that it was not suspicious.

A Surrey Fire and Rescue spokesman said the fire had been extinguished but they were now checking whether the building was safe.

He said: "The fire is now out. However we are currently at the scene and liaising with building inspectors before we can actually enter the property."