Image caption The blast and fire destroyed much of the house

The death of a woman whose body was found after an explosion which destroyed a house is being treated as murder, police have said.

Shelley Saxton-Cooper, 45, and her husband Simon were found inside a bedroom at the home in Riddings, Derbyshire.

The building partly collapsed after the blast and subsequent fire on Sunday.

Post-mortem examinations have yet to take place but Mrs Saxton-Cooper was wounded before the blast, police said.

It is not believed anyone else was involved, Derbyshire police said.

Image copyright PA Image caption Forensic teams remain at the scene of the blast in Riddings, Derbyshire

The couple has not been formally identified but police said they believe the bodies are those of Mr and Mrs Saxton-Cooper.

Ch Supt Sunita Gamblin said: "We believe that Shelley was wounded before the explosion and fire and we are treating her death as murder.

"We're still unable to say how either she or her husband died as post mortem examinations haven't been completed."

Forensic experts remain on scene investigating the cause of the fire, she added.

Emergency services declared a major incident after neighbours reported hearing a loud bang at about 07:30 BST on Sunday.

But they had to wait for the building to be declared safe after the fire destroyed much of the roof.

Image caption Neighbours described the blast and subsequent fire as "really frightening"

Jayne Titchmarsh, who lives two doors away, said the blast was "like a loud thunder."

"I ran to the window and saw debris coming down across the window and there were flames on the front," she said.

"I just couldn't believe it. The fire really took off. Everyone was shouting 'get out, get out' and I just ran with my son because we thought it was going to catch light.

"It was just really frightening. I thought it might spread."

A pet dog which escaped the blast is being looked after by relatives of the couple.