The owner of a shop has described how he escaped from an explosion that killed five people.

The explosion caused a convenience store and the flats above it to collapse.

Aram Kurd, 33, was in the shop at the time. He said had gone to the storeroom at the back of the shop to get some beers for him and an employee, Victoria when he heard a "loud bang".

He shouted out for Victoria, who had only be working at the store for two days, but has not heard anything from her since.

Speaking to ITV Central, he said: "I was holding her phone at the time of the explosion as we had been watching YouTube videos.

"I don't know, I really hope that she's alive. I was shouting Victoria! Victoria! Victoria!

"I don't know how it happened.

"It was a big noise. I found myself up and then to the floor, for two or three minutes I couldn't feel anything, I was looking up, my eyes were open.

"I managed to pull himself from the rubble and climbed into the neighbouring garden."