Quake shakes up residents

An earthquake shook large parts of England and Wales early today.

Sheffield resident John Starkey, 26, said he was awoken by the sound of clinking pots and pans in the early hours.

The self-employed builder said: “I heard the pots in the kitchen shaking and the shampoo in the bathroom fell off the cupboard.

“I wondered what the hell was going on. I got out of bed and went downstairs and the security lights in the garden had come on.

“I was puzzled and had no idea it was an earthquake until I heard it on the news this morning.”

Police forces across Yorkshire said they received several calls from worried residents during the night.

A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police said: “We had a few calls from people reporting minor tremors. People just wanted to know what was going on. There were no reports of any damage or injury.”

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman added: “Our switchboard certainly wasn’t overwhelmed but we did receive calls from members of the public asking what it was.”

In North Yorkshire, calls came in from the York and Selby areas from concerned residents, a force spokesman added.

In Gloucestershire more than 100 calls were made to police from across the county about the earth tremor.

A police spokesman said it happened at around 12.50am and lasted 30 seconds.

He added: “In excess of 100 calls were received by the control rooms at both Cheltenham and Gloucester from places all around the county.

“None of these calls reported any structural damage having been sustained. Indications are that the tremor was felt as far south as Almondsbury and beyond and also into the Midlands area.”