A DELIVERY driver sparked off a major gas alert after reversing into a gas meter near the Shell petrol station in Verwood.

The incident happened outside the new soon-to-open Venice Italian restaurant, formerly JC’s Wine and Video, in Ringwood road at around 11am on Saturday.

Fire crews attended and discovered a big leak in a high-pressure gas main.

Transco was called to the scene and the area was cordoned off.

Fire fighters set up a ground jet cooling system while they waited for gas engineers to arrive.

Ten homes were evacuated while the gas engineer isolated power supplies to the homes and the emergency was over by around 2pm.

Police officers also attended and closed off part of Ringwood Road to traffic. Emergency crews said no-one was injured.

Mum of two Louise Miles, said she was cleaning the house when the drama started.

She said: “I had the front window open and could smell gas.

"I thought I’d accidentally turned my gas on.

"I looked outside and everything was cordoned off with red and white tape and police and firemen everywhere.”

The family was warned to close all the windows and then at around 11.30am they were told to evacuate their home.

“We were worried there might be an explosion. We walked down to the village and stayed out for a couple of hours,” she added.

Building boss, Ugo Zeneli, 40, whose team is working on the new restaurant, said they ran into the road to try and warn traffic to avoid the area.

He said: “We heard a bang and didn’t think much about it. Then I could hear the gas going really loud.

"I got two of my lads trying to stop cars telling people not to drive there.”