A huge sonic boom, believed to have been caused by a military jet, shocked residents in Leicestershire and beyond shortly after midday today.
Leicestershire fire control confirmed that the boom was heard across in Leicester as well as fire stations in Market Harborough and Melton.
This suggests that the loud noise was caused by a plane as opposed to an explosion.
When contacted by LeicestershireLive, a fire control spokeswoman 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 jet breaking the sounds barrier was most likely what had caused the boom.
Taking to Twitter, one person wrote: "According to my plane spotter son, the sonic boom was caused by a fighter jet scrambling to assist a plane that had squawked an emergency."
Another said: "Sonic boom??? Was really loud."
Whilst a third commented: "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?"
Someone else added: "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 aircrafts, which emit pulsing waves of sound from their engines, reaching Mach 1 - the speed of sound. At that point, the waves of sound are compressed and move through the air together, which greatly magnifies the sound.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
