An elderly couple were rushed to hospital on Saturday when their boiler exploded.

The 71-year-old man suffered burns to his upper body, arms, legs, head and neck when he opened the airing cupboard at his home in Mercer Road, Billericay.

He was taken by air ambulance to the burns unit at Broomfield Hospital. He was unconscious when paramedics arrived, but came around soon after.

Doctors say he is in a critical but stable condition.

His 68-year-old wife suffered mild smoke inhalation. She was taken to the same hospital by road and was given oxygen during the journey.

The explosion happened shortly after 2pm on Saturday. It took two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus to put out the fire.

Neighbour Lorraine Marchant said: "It is quite shocking. You do not think of that sort of thing happening. We didn't hear anything but my husband saw the ambulances outside.

"They are a nice couple. I hope they are OK."

The explosion is being blamed on a phenomenon called flashback, where the flame burns too quickly for the gas flowing inside the boiler, so is sucked back to the gas supply, causing the explosion.