Van blast welder was father-to-be

An inquest into Mr Herd's death was opened on Wednesday

The widow of a welder killed when his van exploded in a County Durham town is expecting the couple's first child.

Andy Herd, 33, of Mill Race, Wolsingham, was driving his red Ford Transit box-van through the market town when gas cylinders in the back ignited.

The huge blast on Saturday damaged buildings across the town centre.

Mr Herd was officially identified by Durham Police on Wednesday afternoon. It has been revealed that his wife Jennifer is pregnant.

The explosion happened shortly after Mr Herd stopped at a shop on the town's Front Street.

It is understood the vehicle was moving at the time of the blast.

Van wreckage

No-one else was hurt in the blast but the explosion caused widespread damage to both residential and commercial properties around the market place.

Some of the wreckage from the van landed 200 yards away in a local church and other fragments blew out a shop window.

Residents living near the square began returning to their homes on Tuesday.

Durham Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are trying to establish exactly what caused the oxy-acetylene cylinders to ignite.

An inquest into Mr Herd's death was opened and adjourned on Wednesday.