The town centre was devastated by the powerful explosion

Andy Herd, 33, a welder from Wolsingham, was driving through the town when gas from cylinders in the back of his works van ignited.

Metal and glass were strewn across the town centre on Saturday morning.

Catherine Dipper, whose house is a few yards from the blast site, said all but two homes had been made safe.

Hopefully our insurers will cover the costs, so we're just waiting for them to come in and assess the damage Resident Catherine Dipper

Her family was one of several forced to leave their homes when the huge explosion caused widespread damage to both residential and commercial properties around the market place.

Speaking on Tuesday, she said: "We were allowed back in yesterday lunchtime after the council made sure the building was structurally okay.

"The front of our house is just six yards from where the van exploded and 10 windows were blown in. There's also damage to the stonework and the roof.

"Hopefully our insurers will cover the costs, so we're just waiting for them to come in and assess the damage.

'Utter devastation'

"Aside from that, the electricity and gas are back on and we're just having to live at the back of the house."

No-one but Mr Herd was hurt in the blast, although Ms Dipper said it was fortunate her eldest son was not home, as his bed was strewn with "dagger-sized" shards of glass.

Her youngest son, aged 17, whose bedroom is also at the front of the house, was showered with glass, but he was not hurt.

Windows around the market place were shattered by the blast

Windows around the market place have been boarded up and temporary traffic lights have been installed, Wear Valley's Council's emergency planning officer John Docherty said.

"We're getting things back to normal, so far as we can," Mr Docherty said.

"The community's back to operating as usual, though there's restricted traffic through the town centre.

"We've done what we can to make properties safe and secure from the outside, but for people whose homes have been damaged it's likely to take a couple of months to put right."

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.