A GWENT businessman is recovering in hospital after being burned in an explosion at his garage.

Gwent Police said Marcus Ostler (pictured), who runs Ostler's store in Magor, received 20 per cent burns and is now in a stable condition in Morriston Hospital's burns unit, Swansea.

They said his condition was not life-threatening but he is likely to remain in hospital for some time.

Mr Ostler, who is in his 30s, is said to be a fan of drag racing and is believed to have an engineering workshop in the garage of his Shirenewton house where the blaze started at 5.15pm Sunday afternoon.

Local people said his wife called the emergency services while Mr Ostler tackled the blaze himself.

Green and Red Goddesses were called to the fire at Old School House, in the Grove, Earlswood. It took teams from Chepstow and Raglan Barracks, Newport, two hours to extinguish the blaze.

Mr Ostler was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, and later transferred to Morriston Hospital as an emergency.