A STUDENT who was blown into the street when a gas explosion ripped through his house is in intensive care..

Tan Tram, a student at Manchester University, was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital on Sunday night but later transferred to Wythenshaw Hospital, a specialist burns centre.

On Monday hospital staff confirmed the 24-year-old, who is of Vietnamese parentage and comes from Birmingham, was being treated for severe burns in intensive care after the explosion destroyed the house in Memorial Road, Walkden.

Neighbour Lee Smith, aged 26, said: "My fiancee and I had just put our baby daughter down when we heard a massive bang. I ran outside and saw the victim. I phoned the police and they told me to check his airways but there was a passerby who was helping him."

Tesco worker Stephen Skelland, aged 18, said: "Everything just shook."

Stephen and Maxine Gardiner, who live just doors away from the wrecked house, had put their five children to bed when the blast disturbed them.

"After the loud crash, a real boom, the windows shook," said Mr Gardiner.

"I ran out the back, thinking a car must have crashed, but I saw parts of the house collapsing. Our first concern was to make sure the kids were okay and to get them out."