SOCCER coach Mark Wardle had a lucky escape when a gas fire blew up in his face.

Mark, 26, who coaches at the Centre of Excellence based at Burnley FC, was hit by shards of glass and had his hair singed when the fire exploded in the living room of his house in Lord Street, Brierfield.

He suffered cuts to his arm and shock and was treated at the scene by paramedics, but did not require hospital treatment.

The incident happened at midnight last night when Mark went to light the fire.

"My girlfriend and I only moved into the house last week and we've only used the fire once or twice," said Mark.

"I went to turn it on and the next moment the thing exploded.

"All the glass and the fake coals exploded out of the front of it and there was a burst of flames from the top.

"Luckily I was standing at the side when I lit it or else I would have caught the full blast."

Glass and bits of the fire were scattered across the living room but damage was limited to the fire itself.

Gas supply company Transco has shut off the gas supply until a new fire is fitted.

The fire brigade put the cause of the explosion down to a faulty appliance which allowed a build-up of gas.

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