Jet failure caused big bang

One of Britain's newest fighter planes malfunctioned over Shropshire - forcing the pilot to drop 30,000ft and causing a sonic boom which shook the county.

The Typhoon Eurofighter performed an emergency descent above Shrewsbury shortly after 4pm yesterday, breaking the sound barrier.

Check out our Eurofighter Typhoon photo gallery above

Police were inundated with calls after the huge bang which was heard up to four miles from the town. Residents feared an explosion or an earthquake.

But a spokesman for RAF Shawbury said the boom occurred when the Typhoon performed its emergency descent. An investigation into the incident has begun.

The spokesman said: "At approximately 4.06pm a Typhoon aircraft with two persons on board, being flown from RAF Coningsby on a training sortie in the vicinity of Shrewsbury, suffered a system failure whilst flying at 40,000ft.

"The aircraft captain made a radio call to Air Traffic Control, and in order to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its occupants, and in accordance with standard procedures, then performed an emergency descent to 10,000ft.

"In the course of this manoeuvre the aircraft inadvertently exceeded the speed of sound, causing a sonic boom.

"Neither of the aircraft occupants were harmed during the incident. The cause of the system failure will be investigated.

"We regret any anxiety this incident may have caused to the local population."

The aircraft returned to RAF Coningsby and landed at 4.45pm.

Shrewsbury Police Station, Radio Shropshire in Mount Pleasant, and county council headquarters Shirehall in Abbey Foregate were among the buildings struck by the boom.

A spokesman from Shrewsbury police station in Monkmoor said dozens of people heard the bang.

"We had people ringing from the town centre and one lady from Hanwood. It shook the police station," he said.

Paul Bramwell, of Bowbrook Park, Shrewsbury, said the bang shook his home so hard the loft hatch fell down.

He said: "I was on the phone at the time and a friend in Gains Park was on the other end, about three miles away, and he was shocked at the same time as I was so I knew it was not something just near me.

"It was a single sudden bang, as if something had exploded, the whole house shook."

Councillor Martin Bennett, of Oswestry, said: "I heard the bang - I was at a meeting at the Shrewsbury Football Club ground with a number of councillors from across Shropshire and officers."

Dennis Ingall, of Oakfield Road, Copthorne, said he and his neighbours gathered in the street after they heard two booms.

"One of my neighbours was out the back of his house doing something with his bin and he felt the pressure of both booms like a wave hitting him so it was probably over the top of us."

Hayley Jay, owner of Hayley J in High Street, Shrewsbury, also described the noise as "almost like an explosion".

Shropshire Ambulance Service said it had no calls. Shropshire Fire Service said the St Michael's Street station had been shaken by the bang but it had received no calls from the public.

ShropshireStar.com visitors also reported their reactions to the incident after the story broke yesterday.

'Nick' said: "If it was a Eurofighter i think it was amazing. Shook the office windows made a really big bang.

Would like to thank the pilot for brightening up my Monday. Awsome."

Dennis Ingall said: "We heard a couple of these almighty bangs and thought there had been an explosion in the Copthorne area of Shrewsbury. It shook our house and neighbours houses surrounding us. Man living opposite us felt the waves hit him as he was outside at the time."

W. Longmore said: "I heard this bang at Hanwood. I once heard aircraft go through sound barrier sounded very similar bang."

Dave Chapman said: "I was working outside of Hanwood and as I commented to my workmate about the TWO jets that were flying over. There was a DOUBLE bang overhead obviously they were hitting the sound barrier and the TWO bangs were sonic boom."

Steve Richardson said: "Sat at home around 4pm and heard the very loud bang. I live in Lime Street, Belle Vue. Lots of the neighbours were outside checking their roofs and the sky to see what it was. I thought my chimney had collapsed or the workman two doors down had hit a gas main!"

"Gemma" said: "I heard it too, Also friends who were in Sundorne, Oteley Road, Springfield, Ellesmere Road and the town centre also heard it."

"TAR" said: "The majority of people heard a very loud bang in the Guildhall at Frankwell (sounded like a very heavy object falling over on the floor above) and it was also very loud in Copthorne, the internal doors shook and we thought our boiler had blown up (but thankfully not).

This air show photo of a Eurofighter Tycoon was taken by Andy Jones on the Flickr.com photo-sharing website.

Two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft take to the sky over RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

A Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft leaves its hangar at RAF Coningsby.

A Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in action.

A dramatic shot of a Eurofighter Typhoon.

A Eurofighter Typhoon taking part in an official flypast.