A mum was left in shock after her oven door shattered while the Sunday roast was cooking.

Sharon Doherty had been putting the finishing touches to the family meal when there was “an almighty bang” which resounded round the house.

The blast sent shards of glass spraying across her kitchen in Lancelot Close, Strood, narrowly missing her husband Phil and their pet spaniel, Buddy, who were in the room at the time.

The 49-year-old, a cleaner, and their 11-year-old daughter, who were elsewhere in the house, said the explosion was very frightening.

Mrs Doherty immediately called the manufacturers of her three-year-old Hotpoint oven and was told all appliances “met and often exceeded all relevant domestic and European safety standards”.

She said: “I was led to believe this was an isolated case.

“But I have been using an oven for 35 years and have never heard of anything like this before. They seemed to make out it was my own fault, that I had slammed the door too hard.

“At the very least it should have come with a warning that this could happen.

“And at the very least a company as big at Hotpoint should be offering me compensation or pay for replacing the inner glazed door.

“Most of my appliances are Hotpoint because it has a good name. But now I’m too frightened to use the oven.”

She said her husband Phil, 56, a self-employed handyman, dodged out of the way and their dog bolted after the explosion on September 17.

The Dohertys say they have been told they were not entitled to any payment because they did not have an extended warranty.

A spokesman for the manufacturers said: “The safety of consumers is our number one priority which is why we work hard to resolve all customer matters as quickly and efficiently as we can.

“Our customer services team has contacted Ms Doherty and we are working to address her concerns.”