Sold - but what's that funny smell?

Anthony James, 47, noticed a hissing noise and the smell of gas outside the front of his Balcombe Road house at around 8pm on Wednesday evening.

When engineers arrived, they confirmed the leak was caused when the estate agent's board in his front garden was hammered into the ground.

Mr James was told to leave his home with his two sons, Ryan, 15, and Rupert, 17, until the engineers had finished.

The family then waited anxiously by the side of the road for about an hour until the leak was fixed. Firefighters sealed off the road.

Mr James said: "I'm sure they have directions on these things because there are electricity lines and things down there. It could have been dangerous, I suppose, if I was standing out there with a lighter. It wouldn't have done the dahlias much good."

A spokesperson from gas company Transco said: "I've never known a gas leak to be caused by an estate agent's board before. We would ask companies and private individuals to just be aware of where gas pipes may be positioned."

Fox and Sons declined to comment.

Anyone worried about a possible gas leak can call the emergency gas number 0800 111999 free of charge, 24 hours a day.