A man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a “beautiful” two-year-old boy who died in a huge gas explosion which injured four others and flattened two homes.
George Hinds was killed as a fireball tore through his family’s semi-detached home in Heysham in the early hours of 16 May last year, with neighbours likening the “utter devastation” left behind to a “warzone”.
Following a criminal investigation, assisted by gas experts, Lancashire Police detectives found that the explosion was caused by a gas pipeline being cut in a property adjacent to George’s family home on Mallowdale Avenue.
In October, the force made four arrests and two months later charged 52-year-old Sharon Greenham and Darren Greenham, aged 44 – both of Ambleside Road in Lancaster – with manslaughter and theft from a meter machine.
The latter appeared at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday to enter his guilty pleas, while Ms Greenham is set to stand trial in October. Mr Greenham was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing.
After George’s death was confirmed, his parents Vicky Studholme and Stephen Hinds – both of whom were injured in the blast – described him as a “beautiful little angel”.
“We are devastated at the loss of our beautiful George,” they said in a tribute. “He was so precious to us. We have no words to describe how we feel and just want time to ourselves to come to terms with what has happened. Our beautiful little angel grew his wings today.”
Two others were injured in the blast, and a third home was also seriously damaged.
Nearby residents described hearing a sound “like a bomb going off” at the time of the explosion, which caused debris to cover nearby streets and fields.
“I heard this enormous blast then seconds later loads of banging,” one resident said. “It sounded like stuff was smashing into my roof so I thought the chimney might have collapsed.
“I got up and went outside and realised there had been an explosion on the road. It was utter devastation. The houses that were there before have disappeared.”
Another said they were woken by the blast at around 2:40am, adding: “It sounded like a bomb going off.
“It shook the whole house. I got up straight away and ran out to see what had happened and there was smoke and fire everywhere. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was like a warzone.”
Additional reporting by SWNS
