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Woman Freezes In Complete Shock After Hearing Sonic Boom Shook The UK

Woman Freezes In Complete Shock After Hearing Sonic Boom Shook The UK

Heather was filming her workout when the noise startled her

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A woman froze with fear after her home was shaken by a sonic boom.

Heather Eastlake, from Cambridge, was filming herself doing a fitness routine when she heard the thunderous noise.

The sonic boom, which was heard across the East of England at around 13:05 on 12 January, was caused by RAF Typhoon aircraft, which were launched to intercept a plane that had lost communications.

The aircraft took off from RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, and created the noise after they approached the speed of sound.

And Heather was one of many people across the region who felt the blast.

Speaking about the shock, she said: "It caught me completely off-guard and I just froze.

"I felt the sound go through me - and it took me a few seconds to work out what had happened.

"I was just about to do a pike press up when I heard the noise - if it had happened a few seconds later, I would have ended up on the floor.

Heather froze with fear when she heard the sonic boom.
SWNS

"I do have to laugh when I look back at the video - and people have compared my reaction to animals such as a meerkat, a rabbit and a 'deer in the headlights'."

According to reports, the boom was felt across three counties, with people in Essex, Cambridgeshire, and part of London left jumping out of their skin.

Supermarket Sweep host Rylan Clark-Neal was one of them.

Taking to Twitter, the TV presenter, 32, said: "Thought a plane fell onto my roof, whole house shook #sonicboom."

Adding: "Wish I'd checked Twitter before I decided to single handedly, automatic wine opener in hand, inspect upstairs thinking a flying burglar had broken into my loft. That was bloody loud."

Some joked that the RAF was on the look out for people breaking lockdown rules.

One person asked: "Heard a sonic boom earlier. Has Priti gone ballistic?"

The noise was caused by RAF aircraft reaching the speed of sound.
SWNS

While another quipped: "So the #sonicboom was the result of a RAF Typhoon responding to an immediate threat caused by a cyclist, just about to breach the seven mile limit from their home."

Speaking about the incident, a spokesman for the RAF said the mission was a success and that they were able to reestablish contact with the aircraft.

They said: "The RAF can confirm Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched this afternoon from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian aircraft that had lost communications.

"Subsequently, communications were re-established, the aircraft was intercepted and safely escorted to Stansted.

"The Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed for operational reasons."

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: Police, Entertainment, lockdown, Funny, Coronavirus, Politics, London, Covid-19