RESIDENTS were evacuated from their homes in a North Yorkshire village in the middle of the night after a car crashed and ruptured a gas pipe.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said the single vehicle collision happened at 2am today on the B1258 in Yedingham, near Malton.

Firefighters from Malton and Pickering went to the scene, where a vehicle had collided with a telegraph pole and overground gas pipe and ruptured it, causing a leak.

"The fire service along with police evacuated nearby residents for safety reasons and made the scene safe, until the gas board attended and isolated the supply," said a spokeswoman.

She added that 13 people from five houses were evacuated to the village hall, and the driver of the vehicle was uninjured.

North Yorkshire Police said residents were allowed back into their homes by 4.30am, adding that no arrest had been made in connection with the crash.