A MOTHER has relived the terrifying moments that thieves set off an explosion below her flat in Timperley Village - directly underneath her toddler son's bedroom.

Emily Feldman's first floor flat was damaged when a gang used gas in an unsuccessful bid to blow open a cash machine outside a post office on Stockport Road.

The blast left Emily and her four-year-old son Leo trapped in their flat above the post office.

Leo's bedroom took a severe impact from the blast - but fortunately just a couple of hours earlier he had got out of his own bed and crept into his mum's bedroom to sleep with her.

The 'gas attack' on the ATM machine happened at about 2.20am last Wednesday (June 3).

Twenty-three year-old Emily said: "I was woken up when I heard a big bang. The whole of the building shook and I heard the sound of glass smashing and lights falling down.

"I could hear these men outside making a noise and I didn't have a clue what had happened.

"I called 999 and as I was on the 'phone smoke came upstairs into the bedroom.

“They told me to put blankets in the door gap to stop smoke coming in.

"I tried to stay calm for Leo, he was very shocked."

She heard the thieves outside for about five minutes, and feared they were going to come into her flat, before they drove off.

When the firefighters arrived Emily threw her door keys down to them and they went into the flat and led her and Leo to safety.

Emily, a cashier at the Iceland store in Timperley Village, said: "In Leo's bedroom everything had fallen down - all his books and toys fell and the wardrobe doors, which are next to his bed, fell off."

The former Wellington High School is grateful Leo - who attends Heyes Lane pre-school in Timperley Village - escaped unhurt:

“I am just so relieved he is all right.”

“But now he is traumatised, he won’t leave my side.

“I think to myself ‘has this really happened?,’”added Emily , who went on a holiday in Wales with Leo to get over the ordeal.

* THE Post office was unable to say when the Timperley branch would re-open, as Messenger went to press.

A spokesperson said: "We are trying to find a way to restore services to the area as soon as possible.”

* THE Post office was unable to say when the Timperley branch would re-open, as Messenger went to press.

A spokesperson said: "We are trying to find a way to restore services to the area as soon as possible.”