A man dropped to the floor this afternoon after being startled by an extremely loud sound over a Kent village.

It is understood that the 'sonic boom' was created by two fighter jets that flew over Mersham, near Ashford, at around 1.45pm.

Tim Eames had popped home from work for lunch and to let his dogs out when the explosion-like sound cracked over his house, in Glebelands.

He said the noise scared him so much, he dropped to the floor.

Mr Eames said: "It was the loudest noise I've ever heard in my life.

"The house shook.

"I thought a 747 had crashed, it was that loud.

"I dropped to the floor. It was quite scary."

Mr Eames admitted however that his two dogs didn't seem "a bit worried."

Natalie Lord, general manager at the Farriers Arms, in Church Road, said she was in the pub garden when the she heard the noise.

She said: "It was two fighter jets. I saw one go past, then another following.

"It was really loud.

"I've heard a lot of planes in my time, but this was really loud."

A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created by an object traveling through the air faster than the speed of sound.

It can generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion.

It wasn't just the people of Mersham who heard the noise this afternoon.

Residents in parts of Ashford, including Singleton and Park Farm, also reported hearing it.

Stacey-Louise Smirth said: "Well it came over my house in Park Farm, I thought a huge Boeing was going to crash"

Did you hear the 'sonic boom'? Call the newsroom on 01233 895801 or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk.

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