Woman seriously injured after holiday cottage explosion near Alton Towers

A woman suffered serious burns during a suspected gas explosion at a holiday cottage near Alton Towers on Friday (December 29).

A fire broke out following the explosion just after midnight and the woman was airlifted to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The fire service said the building was destroyed in the blaze.

Two other properties were damaged in the blast.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Fire Service, said: "We have extinguished a fire at a holiday cottage in Alton this afternoon (December 29) following reports of a gas explosion.

"Crews from Longton and Hanley were sent to an address on Bradley Lane, Threapwood, shortly after 12.40pm. Our colleagues from Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service also went to the scene.

"Firefighters used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire, which was put out around 1.30pm. Emergency services carried out a search in the area to make sure everyone was accounted for in the neighbouring properties."

"A woman, in her 50s, suffered serious burns at the scene. She was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

"As a result of the explosion, the building was destroyed. Gas engineers came out to make sure the area was left safe. An investigation into what caused the explosion is ongoing and emergency services will remain at the scene."