His home blew up and he lost his job. Now even his romance is rocky. But Paul Hebden firmly believes his bad luck is about to change.

LIFE was never meant to be easy, but Paul Hebden has had a rockier ride than most.

With his house laying in ruins after a gas explosion, he lost his job. Now his newfound romance is looking shaky too.

But luckless Paul, 40, is refusing to allow his spirits to wane and is looking optimistically to the future.

The never-say-die sales consultant hit the headlines back in April when his house in Beechcroft Road, Upper Stratton, blew up in a massive gas explosion, causing an estimated £95,000 of damage.

Just days later he lost his job at Calne-based removal firm Quickmove.

Life was beginning to look rosier when he met new love Melinda Lawrence, 30, while drowning his sorrows in his local.

But now Paul reveals that their relationship has hit a rough patch.

"I really hope that we can sort things out because deep down I know that I love her," said Paul.

Romance blossomed as Paul with nowhere to go after the explosion moved into Melinda's flat in Walcot, while she went to stay with her mother, who also lives in Beechcroft Road.

A couple of weeks later Paul moved into a rented house in St Austell Way, Rodbourne, and Melinda joined him .

"I think things may have moved too quickly," said Paul. "We're having problems but we're talking and trying to get through this bad patch."

Paul believes the stress of recent events have taken its toll.

He said: "I have been told that building work could begin on the house within the next couple of weeks, but there is an issue with planning permission which my insurers are hoping to sort out.

"It appears that most of the foundations were blown away and new ones need to be put in before the house can be rebuilt. Planning permission needs to be granted for that to happen.

"Organising the rebuilding of your home is like a full-time job."

Despite his lack of luck however, Paul remains upbeat at least on the work front. He has now found employment at electrical store, Comet, on the Orbital Retail Park.

"I wasn't happy about losing my last job especially as it meant losing my company car but I understood why," he said. "Comet has been very understanding. I was supposed to have been at work on Saturday but they allowed me the time off to sort things out.

"The past few months have been a real rollercoaster but life goes on and you have to pick yourself up."

Kevin Shoesmith