'Big bang' in Nottingham confirmed as earthquake

Experts have confirmed Nottinghamshire was hit by an earthquake earlier this evening as social media sites were flooded with reports of a tremor.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 2.6, struck 0.6 miles from Hucknall, which is just under eight miles north of Nottingham, at around 7.17pm, according to the British Geological Survey.

Nottingham residents used Twitter to share their stories of the earthquake, which they described as feeling like a “big bang and sharp shaking”.

Many residents thought their houses had been hit by a car, while a few thought their shaking beds were caused by pre-Halloween ghosts.

Kieran Jobling, 20, who lives in West Bridgford, said: “I was sat in my room and it suddenly shook to its foundations. I genuinely thought it was a poltergeist.

“I’m relieved it was an earthquake, I’d rather not have a haunted house so close to Halloween!”

Verity Cowley, who lives near Kirkby-in-Ashfield, tweeted: “NG17 here and I nearly wet myself. Felt like something had exploded in the house.”

Chris @nottmdude wrote: “Thought a plane or car crashed into the house myself.

“Seriously nearly ran out the house thinking it was going to fall down.

“Around 7.15pm. Felt like something crashed into the house. I thought it was something flying over the house that caused the rumble.”

Lee March wrote: “I’d just stood up and the ground shook. I thought a truck had come through the house.”