THIS is the first picture of the man who died when his van blew up in a County Durham town at the weekend.

Welder Andrew Herd, 33, was driving his red Ford Transit box-van through Wolsingham at about 7am on Saturday when a gas cylinder in the back ignited, causing the explosion.

He was officially identified following a post-mortem yesterday afternoon, and an inquest into his death takes place today.

His wife, Jennifer, was expecting their first child.

Full story and pictures in tomorrow's Northern Echo