A huge boom thought to have been caused by a military jet has been heard by people in the East Midlands. National reports suggest the loud bang was heard from as far south as Oxford up as far as Leicestershire.
According to Leicestershire Live, the noise has been heard across the county. When contacted by LeicestershireLive, a spokeswoman for fire control said: "I know what you're going to ask! We felt it here at Meridian.
"We thought it was a large lorry going past at first. It was also felt in Melton and at Market Harborough, so that wouldn't suggest it was anything happening on the ground to be concerned about."
She said that a plane breaking the sound barrier was the most likely cause. People around Leicestershire have been tweeting about the boom, with one saying: "Sonic boom??? Was really loud."
Another said: "Very loud boom in Leicester about 15 mins ago. Felt the air shake - cats scared and ran indoors Very unnerving - what the hell was it?"
One said: "Heard and felt a big explosion in #Leicester just now. Saw some suggesting a sonic boom?" Others heard the sound in Northamptonshire.
Sonic booms are caused by loud aeroplanes, which emit pulsing waves of sound from their engines, reaching Mach 1 - the speed of sound. At that point all the waves of sound are compressed so they are moving through the air together, massively magnifying the sound.
