Possible Sonic Boom damages houses in Bude, Cornwall
 

from bbc.co.uk
Mystery 'explosion' damages homes

People in Bude said their properties were damaged
Reports of a loud explosion on the north Cornwall and Devon border are being investigated.
A number of residents reported hearing a loud bang between 1130 and 1200 BST around the Bude and Holsworthy area. Others said their homes were damaged.

Western Power and the British Geological Survey have carried out checks in the area.

Pc Baxter Proven of Devon and Cornwall Police said an investigation was under way into the cause.

He said: "One theory being considering is perhaps a military aircraft has broken the sound barrier a little too close to the land and that has caused this sonic boom and this, in turn, caused some light damage around the north Cornwall area."

'Physically shook'

One resident in Bude said a crack in her kitchen had widened as a result, and others reported experiencing their properties "shaking".

A BBC Radio Cornwall listener said: "The stables physically shook. It sounded like Concorde used to sound when it broke the sonic barrier. But much louder. It went 'boom, boom'."

Western Power Distribution said engineers had completed checks and found no faults with its systems.

The Ministry of Defence and the RAF said there were no records of their aircraft flying over the area.

The Civil Aviation Authority said it was also unaware of the cause.

David Galloway from the British Geological Survey said the organisation checked its readings for the area after receiving several phone calls about the bang.

He said: "We've not got any signals at all from any instruments, and in fact we have instruments nearby at Hartland Point."

He added it was possible that it might have been a sonic boom, but although the equipment was geared towards detecting ground movement, it would sometimes pick up such disturbances as well.

He said: "Typically we'd register any ground movement but we have been known to have signals of a sonic nature to register."
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Well at the time there were no RAF jets out there, but at that 'time' there were two Rafales 'playing' with two Belgian F-16s under the control Mr Freddie.... in the SW MDA. Off the coast of Bude!

Bets on who did it....if it was a sonic boom....

'Sonic boom hits Cornish town, causing several thousands of pounds-worth of improvements.'

PC Proven? Yer couldn't make it up.:)

Could it be that someone just couldn't hold on any longer and let rip?

:ooh:

Pilots have the same effect whether they are airborne or on the ground then!:E

If anyone saw "Never Mind the Buzzcocks" last night perhaps it was the Cornish Man having a sh*t?

He said: "One theory being considering is perhaps Basil Brush has broken the sound barrier a little too close to the land."

A BBC Radio Cornwall listener said: It went 'boom, boom'."

Called 'Barisal Guns', booms have been heard in Devon and Cornwall for hundreds of years.
16,500 hits on google

aaaaah - blast from the past! - coming from Cornwall you could time your clocks to the Air France and BA deps/arrivals

My thoughts initially too.

Still whatever it was it has surely given the pointyheads something to talk about through the long winter evenings.........................

Now been confirmed as a meteor booming before it vapourised through the atmosphere.

One hit a house in Germany also during the orionids (halleys comet tail) last week.

I've just spoken to a friend who lives right on the coast north of Bude. He was awake on the night in question and didn't hear a thing, neither did anyone else in the pub. :cool:

I used to sail regularly on the QE2 to/from NY. Concordes used to take the same southerly great circle route as the QE2 on her eastbound passage. BA captains used to talk to the QE2 and this was piped over the main broadcast to the passengers. Normally at about 11am we were told that a Concorde would be passing overhead, we would stand on the stern and watch the Concorde fly over at 55,000ft and look up in amazement and watch it fly bye. Shortly after the Concorde had flown over the eastern horizon, the sonic boom would arrive and the ship would shake. I remember listening to Jock Lowe sitting in the left hand seat counting it down. Even if you were lying in bed you would still feel it. An amazing experience. Happy for the residents of Bude to feel the same thing.

Thats because it was at 11:30-1200 noon... :rolleyes:

Although being confirmed as a meteor, i still reckon one of the Rafales or F16s did it....
The MoD still confirm 'none of our jets' were in the area at the time, but i can confirm the Rafales and Vipers were, having a good play with themselves.....and they are allowed to go supersonic in the Managed Danger Area off Bude. As are the test flights out of Boscombe and St Athan.

In fact the residents of Bude should be used to it, not only Concorde a few years ago but also the almost daily supersonic runs from the test flights from the stations mentioned above.

I used to be able to hear the Sonic boom of Concorde here in Mid Devon when it NY bound. Used to watch it go over the Bristol Channel on its way to NY and especially on its way back where it was clearly visible, nose up attitude and starting to descend as it past Cardiff.

sonic boom...?
 

Most of the evidence is coverered by the sonic boom theory, except the disruption to electrical equipment. It may well have been a sonic boom, but was that a bi product of the mechanism delivering an e Bomb. There is a very good reason to hit bude with an e bomb, the www.

trogdor strikes again

I've just noticed that a sonic boom from a jet has made my carpet wear out and my wallpaper dirty.

How do I claim?

do your knees have friction burns on them? if so, your claim will probably be disallowed :E

chaps, this was confirmed as a meteor by most of the papers...

Aha! Which squadron?
;)