Perceptive Kings Hill residents may have been left mystified after feeling the earth move this afternoon.

But the culprit wasn't an earthquake tremor, the answer lies closer to home in the form of the nearby Blaise Farm Quarry.

The site in King Hill is operated by Gallagher. Workers there started blasting for ragstone just after 12pm.

On weekdays the operators have planning permission to carry out controlled explosions for half an hour from 9am and between 12pm and 2pm.

Usually, blasts are carried out later but quarry bosses say work was moved up today for operational reasons.

For most residents in Kings Hill, the blasts are often not particularly noticeable, but some have reported feeling vibrations.

"It was a very strange feeling," said Mark Canning, who was working just off Gibson Drive at the time.

"It felt the vibrations through my feet, it was clear there was movement in the ground."

Did you feel or hear the blast this afternoon? Email dgazet@thekmgroup.co.uk.