Earthquake hits North East as residents describe 'shaking' in the early hours

Residents have described waking up to their homes shaking after the North East was hit by an earthquake.

According to the United States Geological Survey, Teesside experienced a 2.8 magnitude tremor with a depth of 10km just before 6am on Thursday morning.

The earthquake was felt by residents in Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and County Durham.

Police and firefighters received calls about an 'explosion' in Stockton-on-Tees, after locals heard a 'bang' and felt a 'shudder' in the area.

Gillian Foster, watch manager at Cleveland Fire Brigade, told Mirror Online : "We turned out to a report of a potential explosion at a bungalow.

"Neighbours were out and felt same thing - some kind of explosion."

The watch manager said it was a 'good intent' report from a member of the public, although there was no explosion.

Firefighters found no signs of damage and no one was injured at the Wolviston Court property they were called to in Billingham.

Ms Foster added that police received around 20 calls about the 'explosion'.

Cleveland Fire Brigade was called at around 5.58am.

Firefighters were called to reports of an 'explosion' at Wolviston Court in Billingham (Google)

Resident Steve Thompson, from Norton, said: "It was a strong 'clump' like a lorry crashing into mine or a neighbour's house.

"Then I started to see friends on Facebook experiencing the same thing. Many trying to rationalise it wondering if someone had fallen out of bed.

"Then we began to realise it had been an earthquake."

One local resident added that they felt a 'shudder' at just before 6am.

Numerous people have taken to Twitter this morning, with one person writing: "A huge bang just shook my house, next door felt it too. Has anything happened in the Stockton on tees area?"

Police Constable Chris Green tweeted: "Up at 0545, in the bathroom at 0555 when I turned my electric toothbrush on and felt the house shake & heard the dogs kick off!

"Turns out it wasn't a surge from the toothbrush, but a 2.8 magnitude earthquake."

Another person described it as like a "train went past my window".

In 2011, Teesside homes were rattled by a tremor measured at 3.6 on the Richter scale.