A FAMILY has been left counting the cost after some bungled bank holiday DIY had catastrophic consequences.

The owners of the property, in Quarry Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, wanted to create a little extra living space in their basement and spent the weekend knocking through a wall.

However, it is thought not enough supports were installed to take the weight of the rooms above and, on Monday afternoon, the walls came tumbling down.

At first, neighbours dialled 999 convinced there had been a gas explosion but, when firefighters arrived, they discovered the true cause of the collapse which saw the front of the house sheer away, leaving the cellar filled with rubble.

The owners were in another part of the house at the time and escaped injury, but Station Officer Graham Whittington said they had been extremely lucky.

"The house looks like a bomb has hit it," he said. "If they had been in the basement, they would have been under a pile of rubble.

"The house is very unstable but they could probably still live in the back part of it - but at least 5ft of the front wall has disappeared into the basement."

By yesterday afternoon, a tarpaulin had been hung over the front of the property, although the road remained sealed off for safety reasons.

A spokesman for the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service added: "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."

Members of the family said the owners of the property were "very shocked" by their DIY disaster and too upset to discuss what had happened with reporters.