£25k bill over gas leak drama

Homes had to be evacuated in Bromsgrove Road, Hunnington, when neighbours smelled gas, a court heard. The level of gas in Vicki and Trevor Webb's home was more than double the amount that could cause combustion.

Dudley Magistrates Court heard yesterday that it would have only taken an electrical switch to spark an explosion after two tonnes of gas leaked into the house.

The retired couple were on a two-week holiday in America when work was started on August 20, 2010.

An engineer using out-of-date pipe mapping records drilled through a plastic pipe near their home.

Mr Simon Belfield, for the Health and Safety Executive, said the records should have been updated at least four years earlier.

The highest reading of gas levels within the couple's home was 30 per cent – between five and 15 per cent could result in combustion.

Mr Belfield said: "There was a failure by National Grid to upgrade its pipe records, that created a risk of danger."

Mr Peter Smith, defending, said record keeping had changed following the incident. The company was fined £17,500 after it pleaded guilty to the Health and Safety breach. It was ordered to pay £8,192 costs.

Mrs Webb, aged 59, a former director at Lowes Transport in Blackheath and her husband, 62, who was service manager, said: "We came back off holiday and it was like Beirut, there were holes everywhere.

"The whole house could have gone in an explosion."