Residents 'can't go back' home year after Sunderland blast

There are fears children could access the site if the homes are not demolished

Residents whose homes were damaged by a deliberate gas explosion say they "haven't been able to return" more than a year on.

Several families in Whickham Street in Roker, Sunderland, were displaced when their flats were damaged by an explosion, last February.

Gentoo, responsible for the row of homes, said it had permanently rehomed most of the tenants.

A decision on whether to demolish the entire block is yet to be made.

Two flats were left without exterior walls and just an outline of a roof when Ian Lenaghan started a gas leak, leading to a blast.

• Man who blew up flats in suicide bid jailed

The 59-year-old and three others were injured, while neighbouring properties were structurally damaged, causing an estimated £1.4m worth of damage.

The blast destroyed a property containing two flats

But 13 months later, the homes remain boarded up and cordoned off, and residents have said they do not know if anyone will be able to return.

John Ellis, 44, lived with his 65-year-old father, John Waterworth, in a flat next to the one destroyed in the explosion. and said the homes had remained vacant.

He told the BBC: "One of my neighbours bought a home back in the 70s and they haven't been able to go back.

"I am aware they were talking about demolition and I drive past to see if there's any progress and there isn't."

Mr Ellis, who said his experience with Gentoo was largely positive, had to start from scratch when the explosion happened after losing most of their personal items.

"We weren't given access to the flat and we didn't access the property again," he said.

"Gentoo hired a removal firm to pick everything up as best as they could and we had to go to a lock up, I could have cried it was in a big pile, like a bonfire, and we raked through it all and found what we could".

Eight homes were affected by the Roker explosion

He was rehoused within two weeks but said all "contact and updates" with affected residents from Gentoo had "disappeared".

Mr Ellis said: "I know some of the others would love to go back, because they were born and bred that way - but for me, personally I wouldn't go back".

He said he believed a decision to demolish the site should be taken amid fears children were gaining unauthorised access to the homes, putting themselves at risk.

"The floor in my kitchen had collapsed through to the downstairs, my concern is somebody will be seriously hurt," he said.

"The sooner they knock it down the better."

More than 13 months after the blast, scaffolding remains in place

Gentoo said it had helped and supported all affected tenants and residents following the blast.

Marc Edwards, its director of asset and sustainability, said the housing association had to deal with a "lengthy and complex process" to finalise a plan with its surveyors and insurers.

"This process was further delayed by subsequent legal proceedings which resulted in a man pleading guilty and sentenced," he said.

"We are evaluating options for the properties and will notify impacted tenants and residents once a final decision on the future of these properties is agreed".

On concerns over trespass, the firm said it had received no such reports but urged anyone witnessing any activity to contact them immediately.

"Gentoo is committed to put right the damage, caused by one individual, that destroyed the homes and lives of many that day", said Mr Edwards.

In August, Lenaghan was sentenced to five years after admitting to damaging property and being reckless as to endanger life, also admitting he had tried to take his own life in the blast.

At the time the judge, Recorder Tom Moran, said it was "difficult to comprehend" why Lenaghan tried to take his own life as he had no history of self-harming or mental health problems.

He also said Lenaghan "chose a spectacularly reckless way" to attempt suicide and "anyone thinking clearly would have seen the way you did it exposed other people to a great deal of danger".