Fatal Bedford house explosion 'brewing for months' after natural gas leak from heat pump work

• Drone images show the rubble remains of the home which exploded in Bedford

People living near a fatal house explosion have claimed the disaster has "been brewing" for months after an earlier gas leak caused by underground drilling.

A man was killed and a woman remains in hospital following the blast in Cleat Hill, Bedford, on Saturday.

Police said they had discovered "increased levels of natural gas in the ground" and ordered an evacuation of nearby properties.

In the summer, people living in the area were ordered to leave their homes after a leak from a natural gas reservoir as a result of a borehole being dug for a ground-source heat pump, a source of renewable energy.

Some 13 properties were evacuated in July and residents were told to keep doors and windows shut, and work took place to cap the reservoir.

Joel Simpson, who lives in neighbouring Wagstaffe Close, said the explosion felt like "something that's been brewing" since the previous disruption.

"There was an incident in July where we were nearly evacuated and then there’s been problems with it since where gas [has been] seeping out.

"Then obviously on Saturday morning it's exploded and it's led to a fire and cost a man his life as well."

The fire service said the incident in July was brought to a "safe resolution" after four days of work, but people living in the area are concerned that there could still be a risk.

"We're really concerned because who deals with it from here?" said Mr Simpson. "Who do you call to come and sort this problem?

"It's not a common problem that can just be fixed and it's just hard being evacuated at the moment, especially all the people that have been put in Travelodges and hotels.

Karen Prior, landlady of The Pheasant pub, said: "In about June we heard there was some sort of natural gas... someone trying to build a house and dig down deep to make it very economical and environmentally friendly.

"Unfortunately they've come across some kind of gas there.

"We believed it was all sorted out. The road was closed when that happened; it was closed for about a week.

"It is a little bit concerning because we haven't been told anything. We haven't been asked to stop people smoking out here for example."

At the start of July's disruption, a spokesperson for contractors working at the site said: "While undertaking the installation of a closed loop ground source heat pump borehole we have encountered a pocket of naturally occurring gas at approximately 100 meters below ground level.

"The borehole has been temporarily capped to control the flow of gas while we work with the emergency services to permanently close the borehole."

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