Evacuation of homes

A gas leak forced more than 30 people to be evacuated from their homes.

Police were informed by the gas board that residents in Murdoch Way on the Beechdale estate, Walsall, should be evacuated after they found a gas leak in one of the properties at about 7.20pm yesterday.

The householders were directed to the disused ambulance station in Bloxwich Lane, where they stayed for an hour. At 8.20pm they were given the all-clear and were allowed to return to their homes.