INTERNATIONAL musician James Brown was recovering in hospital this week after a miracle escape when his home blew up.

The retired oboe player aged 78 suffered burns but was able to walk out of his West Street cottage after the massive blast on Monday that all but demolished it.

He even went back in to retrieve his beloved dog Bessie, who is being treated by vets for burns.

Police officers, firefighter and paramedics all expressed sheer amazement that there had been no fatalities.

A huge flash accompanied the explosion just after 4.30pm and bricks, tiles, glass and other wreckage was hurled into surrounding streets.

Roofs were holed, windows were smashed and pavements were littered with stone.

Virtually all of the 15 cars parked in The Horsefair were damaged and one at least is believed to be a write-off.

The explosion is believed to have been triggered when Mr Brown pressed the switch on his kettle and although the cause was not known as the Standard went to press, investigations have been centering on the gas supply.

Chief Insp Charlie Dibble said: "It is too early to speculate as to the cause of the explosion."

But he confirmed on Tuesday: "Gas works were being carried out in the area yesterday."

He stressed the experts could not jump to conclusions and that a full investigation had to be carried out. Asked when the results might be known he said: "I am hoping that it will be within a week."

Mr Brown, who was taken to the Great Western Hospital and then transferred to the burns unit at Salisbury, is thought to have got off so lightly because he was at the epicentre of the explosion, which blew out the front and back walls and took off the most of the roof.

His condition was described as stable.

Mr Brown's wife Sandy, who lives further along the street, was at the cottage as what possessions that had survived were being retrieved.

She said he was in good heart, but she didn't think he had yet grasped quite how complete the destruction had been, even though he had seen a picture of it.

"He's got slight burns to his ears and head and thatís why heís being kept in. But he's fine."

She had spoken to him when he dropped by minutes before his house went up. When she heard the bang she tried to call him but couldnít get a reply.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw the house and heard he'd climbed out," she said. "It is just simply incredible."

Great Western Ambulance operations manager Steve Blackmore had feared far worse when he arrived on the scene.

He said: "We know of at least three people who walked past the building immediately prior to the explosion. This could have been a multiple fatality situation very, very easily."

If the blast had been half-an-hour earlier children heading into town from Malmesbury School could easily have been caught up in it.

Many people also live and work in the closely-packed area.

"It is absolutely incredible," he said. "He is a very lucky gentleman."

Nextdoor neighbour John Nichols had chatted with Mr Brown just a few minutes before. He said: "I had just got to the top of the stairs, there was an unbelieveably loud bang and everything shook and I tumbled down the stairs slightly."

He carried on and went out the back of the house. "I saw Jimmy in the kitchen with a load of rubble around him. He was obviously in shock."

The pair walked out together down a shared passageway, but when Mr Nichols went back into his house to get his insurance documents, his neighbour turned back to look for his dog.

Witnesses reported seeing Mr Brown emerging from his home for a second time with a blackened face, tattered clothes and Bessie before giving a thumbs up signal.

While he was being treated a police community officer took the dog to The George veterinary hospital, where she was later said to be doing well.

Malmesbury's fire crew was on the scene within four minutes of the first emergency calls being made. More appliances and a total of 35 firefighters were called in at the height of the incident.

Residents of surrounding buildings were told to leave their homes because of the damage, and those closest to the explosion were prevented from returning.

The cottages either side of number 36 were seriously damaged with back walls blown out and they may have to be demolished.

The fire, buried in the wreckage, was not completely doused until late in the evening and emergency services and investigators were on the scene through Monday night.

Properties were still sealed off on Tuesday as building inspectors checked them for safety.