Scott Godbold, Sarah Pearse and Sam Devine-Turner were injured

Two people remained in a critical condition in hospital today following the Shrewsbury explosion. The town’s Welsh Bridge was reopened to pedestrians.

Nineteen-year-olds Sam Devine-Turner and Sarah Pearse both remain in a critical but stable condition at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham after they were injured in the blast.

Miss Pearse’s boyfriend Scott Godbold, 23, and their friend Annie Davies, 19, who are also at Selly Oak, were today described as “comfortable”.

Kiley McDonnell, who was starring in Peter Pan at Theatre Severn, was also hurt and was today still being treated for spinal injuries at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. His condition has been described as seriously ill but stable.

The Welsh Bridge was due to reopen to pedestrians yesterday morning but this was delayed for 24 hours as the council was unable to secure barriers it needed to ensure the site was safe. It reopened to pedestrians only at 7.30am today.

Businesses in the Hills Lane and Victoria Quay area are also accessible by foot with pedestrians able to use all roads and footpaths in the Welsh Bridge area, apart from Bridge Street itself and the bottom of Mardol.

The Health and Safety Executive is leading an investigation into the incident, and a team from the organisation has been at the scene of Sunday’s blast, at the corner of Bridge Street and Smithfield Road, all week. The cause of the explosion is believed to be a gas leak.