Tangmere homes evacuated overnight after gas main ruptures

David Thompson tweeted that he needed a police escort to get home after his road was taped off

Residents in West Sussex have spent the night in a rest centre after a gas main was damaged by builders.

About 70 homes in Woodfield Close and Chichester Drive, in Tangmere, had to be evacuated on Wednesday afternoon.

Householders described the sound of hissing and a strong smell, and were asked by police to keep doors and windows shut. No-one was injured.

The gas main was repaired overnight, with residents able to return home from 04:00 BST on Thursday.

Chichester District Council set up a rest centre at Westgate Leisure Centre in Chichester to accommodate people.

Council leader Tony Dignum said local stores provided food, while two hotels and St Richard's Hospital provided bedding and pillows.

He said it was "a fantastic example of how a community comes together to support one another under difficult circumstances".

The ruptured gas main was in Woodfield Close.