Last Friday at around 10am officers were called to reports of an incident at Low Mills Lane, Ravensthorpe.

A gas cylinder had exploded in a white transit van fatally injuring father-of-five Timmy Donaghue.

Mr Donaghue, of Arncliffe Road, was taken to Dewsbury and District Hospital where he died from serious head injuries.

Later police found the van, which had collected the cylinders on Ouzelwell Lane in Thornhill Lees.

At around 1.30pm fire crews from Dewsbury and a specialist hazardous materials team were called in to make around 30 gas cylinders in the van safe.

The road was closed to all traffic while homes in the immediate area were evacuated and residents on Ouzelwell Lane and Ouzelwell Road were advised to stay indoors with their windows closed.

Samina Ahmed, who lives on Ouzelwell Lane, said: "When I went to my sister's house down the road in the morning a van was parked there and I could smell gas.

"As I walked by the van I could hear something hissing. You could hear it really loud.

"At about half one I saw the police come up. They moved the van to the side and the police told us it was a gas leak."

Another neighbour said: "We had to stay inside for ages and keep the windows closed. We had to evacuate the building but it was for just about half an hour and then we were told we could go back. Somebody from Manchester had come and said the canisters were safe so we were given the all clear to go home."

Once experts from the British Oxygen Group had declared the van and its contents safe, the cylinders were unloaded and taken with the van for further examination. The road was later reopened.

As Mr Donaghue's partner Vickie and children Leonie, Macaulay, Keira, Ellie and Riley struggle to come to terms with their loss, investigations into the cause of the explosion continue.

A post-mortem examination was carried out earlier this week and an inquest will be held at a later date.

The family was too upset to speak to reporters but one woman, whose son knows them well, said: "Timmy was a lovely bloke, devoted to his family. It is such a shame."

She described Mr Donaghue as a 'bit of a character' but said he was well-liked in the area.

Anyone with information that might help the investigation should phone Dewsbury CID on 01924 431085.