Residents in South Woodham Ferrers, Bicknacre and Runwell have reported waking up to a 'loud bang' and their homes shaking in the early hours of Thursday morning (February 9).

This was caused by a 2.6 magnitude earthquake with the village of Bicknacre at the epicentre.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said residents described the earthquake as "like an underground train going under our bungalow", and "it felt like a piece of large furniture had fallen over".

David Galloway, a seismologist at the BGS, told BBC News this morning's earthquake was "63,000,000 times smaller in terms of energy release" than the one that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday.

Meanwhile, the owner of a Turkish restaurant in Maldon has urged the public to support his appeal to send food and blankets to victims of the earthquake in Turkey.

Updates to follow.

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