A disabled resident wants to ‘put the story straight about Ashford’s community spirit’ after his home was looted hours after a devastating gas explosion.

Richard Legge, 54, was living in a flat in Oak Tree Road with his partner last year when a fireball ripped through the building.

Eight council-owned properties were affected, 10 people were left homeless and dozens of nearby homes were evacuated.

Mr Legge and his partner Angela Piggott, 48, were displaced by the disaster that happened on June 15 last year and spent six weeks living with his mum.

Mr Legge, who has Parkinson’s and now lives in Willesborough, said: “We were left with absolutely nothing, just the clothes on our back and the shoes on our feet.

“So to find out we had been robbed after the explosion was just heartbreaking.

“They took a huge list of things, iPad, laptops, all sorts of easily grab-able things.

“All that was left of my possessions was a picture, my teeth and a pair of glasses.”

Mr Legge explained that Angela had been in the flat at the time of the explosion, having a lie down.

She was treated for smoke inhalation immediately after and he said that even now the pair are still both terrified whenever they hear a bang.

He added: “We are still devastated. We have had to rebuild as best we can but we are still a mess.

“Financially it has been absolutely crippling. We had no savings and we had no contents insurance because it was just an interim stopover.

“Whatever was left of our stuff got wet and ruined in storage. I had a blue leather sofa that was literally growing mushrooms by the time it was returned to us.

“It’s been a nightmare. It’s made my Parkinson’s worse that it should be and my partner still has terrible nightmares.

“Both of us practically hide under the table if we hear bangs now.”

In the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on the explosion, inspectors confirmed they had been focused on the issue of gas in the premises and that the blast could have been caused by an un-soldered pipe.

But an HSE spokesman said the investigation had been completed and no further action would be taken.

Mr Legge said the couple are unhappy with the lack of action and have contacted a solicitor to take further action against gas company SGN.

He added: “We didn’t even get an apology off SGN so we have got a solicitor on board.

“We received a lot of support from Ashford In Crisis at the time but I don’t recognise this ‘wonderful community spirit’ people keep talking about.

“It’s all well and good saying about community spirit but someone from the community helped themselves to my stuff at the worst point in our lives. What kind of community spirit is that?”

Responding to Mr Legge’s claims, an Ashford Borough Council spokesperson said: “Following the incident council staff arrived on the scene swiftly to assist those affected by setting up an emergency welfare centre, arranging overnight accommodation and ensuring the damaged block was secured that evening.

“The explosion and subsequent action by Kent Fire and Rescue Service inevitably caused fire, smoke and water damage to personal possessions. We strongly recommend to all our tenants to take up contents insurance for their personal possessions.

“Staff went above and beyond their duties to provide extra care to tenants, arranging a cash payment to help them meet initial expenses, working with them to remove and store as many items that could be salvaged and rehousing tenants as soon as possible.

“We also praised the local community in their fundraising efforts and donations in the following days and weeks.

"Sadly incidents such as these can happen and can affect anyone but we feel the council and the community pulled together to support those in need, reflected in the positive feedback we received from many of the affected tenants.”