A family-of-three escaped unhurt after a gas cylinder exploded at their smallholding last night.

Fire crews from five stations were called to put out the blaze and make other cylinders safe at Good Ram Farm in Newall Carr Road, Otley.

Firefighters from Otley, Rawdon, Cookridge and Harrogate struggled getting enough water and had to pump a stream 100 metres away - then they had to call for extra back-up from a Tadcaster fire crew who had to bring a 9,000-litre water bowser.

The fire is believed to have started after the smallholder left welding work on a car in an outbuilding to go in for his tea just after 7.30pm, said Rawdon watch manager Paul Holdsworth.

The explosion blew out a wall and partly demolished the garage roof, the family's nearby caravan home and golden retriever kennels stayed intact.

Harrogate firefighters were still at the scene this morning cooling down two unexploded cylinders - it takes 24 hours before they can be declared safe.