Man charged over Oldham gas blast

Police have charged a man with the Oldham explosion that killed a toddler in June. Andrew Partington, formerly of Buckley Street, Shaw, is charged with manslaughter and criminal damage and is due to appear at Oldham Magistrates' Court this afternoon.

The 27 year old has been in a coma for the past two months following the explosion.

Two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed in the blast Buckley Street, which happened at about 11.15am on Tuesday 26 June.

Around 40 families were moved to a refuge centre after the explosion damaged around a dozen properties, many of them so badly affected they had to be torn down.

A 32-year-old man believed to have carried out boiler maintenance work arrested on suspicion of manslaughter remains on police bail pending further inquiries.