AN INTERNATIONAL musician escaped with burns when his Malmesbury cottage was completely destroyed by an explosion.

Oboist James Brown, who is in his 70s, crawled through the wreckage carrying his dog Bessie after the blast which sent debris smashing into surrounding homes and cars.

It happened at around 4.15pm yesterday when he flicked the switch on his kettle for a cup of tea.

Police, fire and ambulance crews who rushed to the scene were stunned to discovered no one had been killed.

Near neighbour Paul Humphreys had just unloaded his car after a weekend away when the street was rocked. He hurried round the corner and was met by a scene of devastation.

He said: "People were starting to come out of their houses and I saw Jimmy actually walking over the debris in his house to climb out."

Seconds later as he began to see blue smoke climbing from the wreckage he heard the first sirens.

Paramedic first responder Ollie Dalton, who lives close by heard the blast and grabbed his medical kit.

He was on the scene within minutes. He said: "When I came round the corner I saw the debris and the gentleman who was in the house was standing outside."

He guided Mr Brown to the saddlery shop across the road and started treating him. He said: "I thought he must have been a bystander. To learn he was in the house was a bit of a shock."

Mr Brown, who played with the English Chamber Orchestra among others, was taken to the Great Western Hospital and transferred the following morning to the burns unit at Salisbury Hospital. His condition was described as stable.

Meanwhile, Bessie was being treated at a veterinary hospital.

An investigation into the blast is under way and is expected to focus on work that was being done in the street to replace crumbling gas mains.