A YOUNG Gwent mum is lucky to be alive today after a gas explosion ripped an outbuilding at a caravan park.

Freeda Bennett (pictured) is recovering in Morriston Hospital, Swansea, after suffering first-degree burns to her arms and legs, and facial burns when the outbuilding she was inside was rocked by an explosion.

One eyewitness said Mrs Bennett, a 23-year-old mother of three, was "lucky to be alive" after the explosion in Nantyglo.

Mrs Bennett was using a gas cooker in the outbuilding when the explosion happened at Cwmcrachen caravan park at 10.30am on Sunday.

The force of the blast, which threw shards of glass 15 metres across the caravan park, left Mrs Bennett unconscious.

She was rescued from the damaged outbuilding by her husband Craig, 27. The rest of Mrs Bennett's family; eldest son Craig, seven, Jerome, three, and Chanel, one, escaped injury because they were in their nearby caravan at the time.

Bob Pagett, 57, from the East Pentwyn Estate, Blaina, said he has seen nothing like it in the nine years he has been site manager.

Mr Pagett was in his office less than five metres away when the explosion occurred. The blast sounded like "a loud clap of thunder".

He said: "The force of the explosion blew the front of the building out completely. "Somehow, the roof stayed on - had it come down it would have broke Freeda's neck. "She's a very lucky women to emerge from the explosion alive."

He added that the incident had "hit the whole caravan park for six". Next-door-neighbour Brenda Mochin, 31 said: "The explosion made one hell of a bang and it's just a good job that my kids were inside at the time."

A spokesman at the Morriston Hospital described Mrs Bennett's condition as "comfortable" though he added that he expected her to remain there "for a while". The outbuilding has been demolished by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council for safety reasons.

Detective Sergeant Glyn Morvan, of Abertillery police, said: "We are not looking at any suspicious circumstances as the incident appears to be an accident."

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed and is investigating. Two gas cylinders and a cooker have been taken away to be examined by safety experts.