PENSIONERS who were evacuated from their bungalows after a mystery gas leak still can't return to their homes – three weeks after the scare.

Elderly residents at two properties in Leek have been warned that gas readings are still too high.

People living in Fairview Road were told there would have been an explosion if the alarm had not been raised three weeks ago by a passer-by.

Four families were evacuated at the height of the drama as the National Grid carried out an investigation.

Teams of workmen have been on site 24 hours a day since the leak was reported.

Grandmother Pat Bestwick spent two days away from home while tests were carried out on her bungalow.

The 61-year-old mother-of-four said: "I was told to get my things and go. I went to stay with my daughter, but my neighbours have not been allowed home.

"I feel sorry for them, it must be awful. Thankfully, it has been caught in time. It was a good job someone reported it.

"We were told afterwards that it could have blown up."

The alarm was raised by Fairview Road resident Susan Hughes after she smelled gas outside the bungalows.

The 55-year-old said: "I stood down there on the corner and people were walking past me, saying they could smell gas. Some people said they had smelled it for two weeks.

"It makes me feel ill to think what might have happened if I had not reported it.

"We all feel very sorry for the elderly people, who are still away from their homes."

Janet Mace, aged 73, who has lived in the street for seven years, is among the affected residents.

She said: "I'm living just down the road at my sister's, but I don't know when I'll be able to go back. The sooner the better I say, but we get different stories each day."

Councillor Steve Povey, who has been asked to take up the case with National Grid, said he had been told the leak was costing £2,500 a day to investigate.

He said: "They have been doing their best to solve the problem and it has become very frustrating.

"I am very concerned that it has gone on so long."

A National Grid spokesman said it had repaired a broken main on the day it was called out. Gas readings in adjacent houses were checked and residents evacuated, she added.

The spokesman said: "Two were allowed to return as soon as their homes were vented, but we are still finding gas readings in the other two properties. We have engineers on site every day and they are continuing to investigate the source of the gas.

"We believe it could be trapped in the ground around the broken main and we have drilled several other holes to help it vent more quickly.

"We have also tested the mains to make sure there are no further fractures.

"The residents will be allowed to return home as soon as it is safe."