A NORTH Yorkshire man had a lucky escape when the front of his house collapsed in a DIY disaster.

Firefighters arrived at the detached cottage in Quarry Lane, Harrogate, to find most of the front room had disappeared into the cellar.

Gas engineers were first called to the property after reports there had been an explosion - which later proved to be unfounded.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the homeowner - who wished not to be named - had been working to convert his basement into an extra living room.

She said the drama unfolded when he knocked through a wall that supported the front of the house, but failed to use enough props to shore up the weight of the rooms above. This caused the living room to collapse into the cellar and left the front garden covered in rubble.

It is believed the man was in another part of the house when it caved in and escaped unhurt.

Harrogate fire station officer Graham Whittington said the structural damage was likely to cost thousands of pounds to repair.

"The house looks like a bomb has hit it," he told the Evening Press.

"If he had been in the basement when the wall came down he would have been under a pile of rubble.

"He is extremely lucky. The house is very unstable but he could probably still be able to live in the back part of it.

"At least five feet of the front wall has disappeared into the basement."

Firefighters sealed off the area and made the house as safe as possible before gas engineers arrived to cut off the supply.

Fire crews from Harrogate and Acomb were called to the property at 3pm yesterday.

The homeowner declined to comment at the scene. His father said he was "very shocked" and too upset to talk.

Attempts were made to make the exposed front of the house weatherproof using tarpaulin.

A fire spokesman said: "It's normally acknowledged that DIY is one of the major causes of injury in the home.

"It's important to be absolutely certain you know exactly what you're doing. If in any doubt you should consult with skilled tradesmen who are generally approachable and happy to offer advice."

Updated: 11:33 Tuesday, May 06, 2003