‘Sonic growth’ heard over Leicestershire

A loud explosion sound considered a sonic growth has been heard over Leicestershire which airplane spotters imagine got here from a navy jet.

The sound was additionally reported throughout Northamptonshire and by folks in Banbury and Oxford.

Leicestershire Police mentioned it had acquired “quite a few calls” however there was no want for concern.

On social media, airplane spotters recommended the sound could have come from an RAF Storm fighter jet scrambling to intercept one other plane in misery.

Aarondeep Mann, 22, heard the bang in Houghton-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire, and mentioned his first thought was it might have been a fuel explosion.

“It was essentially the most random, loud factor we’ve ever heard as we have been clearing the boot of the automotive out,” Mr Mann, a follow supervisor, informed the PA information company.

“First ideas have been that it might be a fuel pipe explosion.

“All of the neighbours got here out as the homes have been virtually shaking.”

The RAF’s Airbus Voyager, the air power’s solely in-flight refuelling airplane, was being tracked by no less than 1,440 folks on Flightradar24 – a web site that tracks plane in actual time.

An announcement printed by Leicestershire Police mentioned: “Now we have acquired quite a few calls in relation to a big explosion sound heard from numerous components of town and county.

“We prefer to reassure you that there isn’t a concern nonetheless thanks to your fast response to us.”

The MoD was contacted for remark.

A sonic growth is induced when planes fly quicker than the pace of sound, which at floor degree is round 761mph.

When travelling at this pace, often known as Mach 1, the plane displaces the air and creates strain waves that change into compressed after which launched in a shock wave.

So long as the plane is flying at Mach 1 it is going to generate steady sound waves, often called a growth carpet.

An plane flying at 20,000 ft would create a sonic growth cone 20 miles huge.