A sound of an explosion in Huntingdonshire today was a sonic boom, the police have said.

At about 1.10pm today (Thursday) a loud noise that rattled buildings and set off car alarms was heard over Huntingdon.

Cambridgeshire police has received numerous calls about the noise, a spokesman said.

She confirmed it was a sonic boom, although officers are not sure which plane caused it.

A sonic boom is a bang is caused by air movement when an aircraft breaks through the sound barrier (768mph).

A Luminus spokesman said: “Our head office at Brook House, Huntingdon, was shaken and car alarms went off in the car park.”

Dawn Dodsworth, of Sawtry, told The Hunts Post: “I was with our financial advisor when it happened and he looked as if he had a heart attack. I have heard a few sonic booms before but that was definitely the loudest.

“It’s not just one explosion sound, there are two very close together.

“My husband and I are both ex-airforce and I used to work in air traffic control when I was in my teens. I called the tower at RAF Coningsby and the flight lieutenant said it was a Typhoon but didn’t know what it was doing.

“Things like this are great reminder that when we have military planes ready if we ever need them.”

Laura Neilson said: “Heard the sonic boom today, in Fletton, Peterborough. Thought our flat had collapsed or a bomb had been set off! Can’t believe how loud it was, very scary!”

Theresa Taylor, of Huntingdon, added: “I was ironing when I heard a loud noise followed by a forceful wind go through the house and through me. My house felt like it had jumped.

“Even the dogs started barking. I thought either it was an explosion or the wall outside our house in the car park had been hit.

“I ran upstairs to check out the windows, couldn’t see anything wrong. Went outside and the wall was fine. I then looked on Facebook and the Cambridgeshire police said it was a sonic boom. So glad it wasn’t an explosion or the wall!”

It is not the first time a sonic boom has been heard in Cambridgeshire. Last year a Eurofighter Typhoon from RAF Coningsby caused a sonic boom when it was scrambled to Heathrow after air traffic control officers lost communication with an incoming airplane.

Did you hear the noise? What did you think it was? Send your thoughts to news@huntspost.co.uk.