Blast girl was 'target of gang'

Twelve properties remain inside the cordon

House blast victim Charlotte Anderson was the target of a gang of girls who were in a feud with her over a boy, her sister has claimed.

One man died in the explosion at a house in South Harrow, north-west London, on 7 May.

Charlotte's sister Gemma Nesbitt claims the blast was caused by a gang of girls who had attacked her before.

Police are treating the incident as suspicious but have not yet identified the cause of the explosion.

Ms Nesbitt, 21, said her 17-year-old sister has been scarred for life and will have skin grafts to repair burns inflicted by the blast.

She is very frightened but is determined not to let them drive her out of London Gemma Nesbitt

She remains in hospital following the explosion which destroyed three houses and forced 40 residents to leave their homes.

Ms Nesbitt said: "Charlotte is very poorly and is sleeping a lot but hopefully she is on the mend.

"She said the lasses who attacked her are from college and that they have beaten her up once before.

"She is very frightened but is determined not to let them drive her out of London."

Intended target

Emmad Qureshi, 26, was killed in the explosion in Stanley Road.

At first it was thought the devastation was caused by a gas explosion but police said they were looking at a possible link to reports of a purple liquid being poured through Charlotte's letterbox - the house next door to Mr Qureshi.

Detectives from the homicide and serious crime unit have not been able to start sifting through the remains of the houses to determine the cause of the explosion, but hope to do so in the next few days.

Foster care

The blast ripped through the Victorian terrace homes at 2140 BST, killing Mr Qureshi who was crushed by falling rubble.

Charlotte was dragged from the debris by a passer-by.

She left the North East eight years ago and was placed in foster care in London.

For the last few months, Charlotte had been living in the flat in South Harrow and attending college in preparation for a childcare course.