FAMILIES were forced to flee their homes after joyriders triggered a huge gas leak.

Twenty residents, including young children, were forced onto the streets in freezing temperatures after a car ploughed into a house on Bell Lane, Bury, severing an external gas pipe.

They were evacuated by the emergency services amid fears of an explosion following the crash at 3.30am on Wednesday. Temperatures had plunged to minus four degrees.

Chris and Deborah Patton, whose house took the brunt of the impact, ushered their daughters Becky (13) and Rachel (8) to safety.

The occupants of the car, four men and a female driver, ran from the scene.

Police launched an evacuation operation as firefighters, ambulance crews, Bury Council workers and Transco gas engineers rushed out to deal with the leak.

None of the residents was injured although Mrs Patton told the Bury Times of their lucky escape.

The 33-year-old school caterer said: "I was awoken by the burglar alarm going off and not the sound of the car hitting the house.

"I went downstairs and turned the lounge lights on to try and scare any burglars away. There was nobody there but I could see bricks in the foyer and thought a chimney must have come down. "I then smelt something but, probably because I was still sleepy, I couldn't put a name to it. When I heard a loud hissing sound everything clicked.

"I realised it was gas and shouted to Chris to grab the girls and get out."

Mrs Patton said: "It seems amazing now but I really think the Christmas decorations saved our lives.

"I normally leave the gas heater on low during the night to make the lounge warm for the children in the morning.

"Because I had put up the decorations on Monday, I decided it was safer to leave it off.

"If it had been on we could have been killed in an explosion. We have been very lucky."

Firefighters said debris was strewn across the road and the stolen Citroen was embedded in railings at the junction of Bell Lane and Parsonage Street.

Station Officer Paul Myerscough said: "The area looked like Beirut. It looked as though there had been an explosion already.

"There was a very strong smell of gas and risk it could ignite."

Police have launched an appeal for any information about the car crash and the whereabouts of the occupants. Anyone with information should contact Bury police on 856 8157.