FIREFIGHTERS prevented a potential gas explosion when a bin caught fire in a North Yorkshire house.

The fire spread to the property's gas meter box and gas started leaking into the air.

Firefighters were unable to stop gas coming into the house on Main Street, Cloughton, north of Scarborough, because of the fire's location.

So the crews from Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay kept the gas cool by directing a jet of water onto the pipe and used a fan to send the escaping gas away from the house.

They also put out the fire and called in gas engineers who took over ensuring that the property was safe.

The drama began shortly before 8pm yesterday evening.