A Burley Woodhead family has been left traumatised after a massive explosion at the front of their home shattered windows and caused a wooden porch to

collapse.

And fire investigation officers are still analysing material found at the scene to see what caused the blast.

At first they thought it might have been a bomb, but a spate of similar incidents suggest that large fireworks could be involved.

The family asked Wharfedale Newspapers not to reveal their names and exact address but told us that the explosion happened at around 10.45pm last Thursday night. As they ran to their front door to discover the cause, they said the front of the house was covered in smoke and there was a strong smell of gunpowder.

They said they had no idea why their home had been targeted in what they thought was a completely random attack. But they feared for one of their children whose bedroom windows were shattered by the blast.

"As far as I am concerned it was attempted murder," said the owner.

The family of two adults and two children were not the only ones to be shaken by the blast.

A neighbour, who also did not want to be identified, said: "Something very strange has gone on. There was a most enormous explosion. There were two fire engines and it looked like a bomb had been thrown at the house.

"It is pretty frightening for the people who live here. It sounded like they were quarry blasting."

She said she had heard reports of similar incidents in other parts of Wharfedale and Aireborough where massive fireworks, similar to those used for large public displays, had been let off in residential areas.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Keith Robinson, said the incident was still being investigated.

"We sent what appeared to be firework remains for analysis and we are still awaiting the results of that investigation.

"This has caused quite extensive damage to the front of the building. If it was a firework it would have to be such a large firework. There were four people in the property at the time."

Sergeant Esther Hobbs, of Ilkley police, said that officers investigated reports of another explosion in Menston at the same time.

This time no damage was caused but people reported hearing the sound of a large firework being let off. Officers later found what could have been the remains of a firework in Moor Lane, leading to the road which passes through Burley Woodhead.

On the same night, a telephone box in Main Street, Hawksworth, was extensively damaged by what is thought to have been a firework. The windows were all broken and the metal frame was damaged by the force of the blast.

In a similar incident in Guiseley, an 89-year-old woman was shocked but not otherwise injured when a firework was pushed through her letter box on Monday evening. The explosion caused a small amount of burn damage to a carpet.