Dozens injured in Merseyside explosion

One person has been seriously injured and more than 20 others hurt in a suspected gas explosion on Merseyside.

Emergency services were called to a collapsed building in Bebington, Wirral, at about 21:30 GMT.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said the building, thought to be a dance studio, was in Boundary Road, Port Sunlight.

Twenty four people are confirmed to have been injured and have been taken to hospitals in Merseyside and Chester.

North West Ambulance Service said the most serious casualty had gone to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.

The remaining 23, described as "walking wounded" were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside and the Countess of Chester.

Josh Parry of The Liverpool Echo said the dance studio was next door to a Chinese restaurant, in which there were believed to be a number of customers at the time of the collapse.

He described a significant emergency response with about 12 ambulances and between 30 and 40
firefighters on site.

Mr Parry said local people had reported an "intense shake" in some of the homes nearby.

The MP for Wirral South, Alison McGovern, tweeted : "Am on the scene in New Ferry. A very serious situation. Please stay away if you can, let emergency services do their job."

Bino Shan, of a convenience store in Bebington Road, said: "I saw one man injured, I think a few people were injured.

"The building is gone, my door is damaged and broken. It's really scary, it was a big explosion but
I didn't see any fire.

"The police said the gas blew up."