Sheila McDonald, 72, her partner Daniel Martyn, 73, miraculous escape from home after 'gas explosion'

A dog breeder has described being 'blown out of her shoes' after an explosion ripped through her home yesterday.

The force of the blast threw Sheila McDonald, 72, and her partner Daniel Martyn from their living room at the house in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, which then burst into flames.

Incredibly she, Mr Martyn, 73, and their six dogs escaped without serious injury.

Ms McDonald, who has shown at Crufts, last night recalled smelling gas before the explosion and seeing one of her dogs, an Afghan called Quantum, flying through the air during the blast.

She told the Scottish Sun: 'We smelt gas and reported it. But within the hour there was an explosion.

'All I remember is sitting at the table in the living room one minute and then flying through the air the next. I can remember seeing Quantum flying right past me. I had been blown right out of my shoes.'

Emergency services evacuated 30 people from 10 nearby buildings shortly after the explosion at 10am yesterday morning. Read More