http://www.herts-essex-news.co.uk/news/mercury/hertfordshire_mercury/2006/10/20/residents%20shaken%20by%20mystery%20explosions.lpf
Residents shaken by mystery 'explosions' Herfordshire Mercury News (United Kingdom) October 20, 2006 TWO mysterious 'explosions' in the early hours woke up residents across the Mercury patch, set off car and burglar alarms and knocked items from window sills. The bangs roused bemused householders from their slumber at around 3am and 3.30am on Monday. Residents in Stanstead Abbotts reported hearing the 'explosions' and it is thought some people in Ware heard the bangs. They emanated, however, several miles away in Hoddesdon, where several people saw a bright flash. Yesterday (Thursday, 19 October), as staff at Hailey Hall School in Hailey examined their seismograph to see if it recorded the incident, the cause of the bangs remained shrouded in mystery. Theories abounded, with fireworks, a power station, guns and even supersonic aircraft blamed for disrupting the night peace and setting off alarms. Others thought an 'unexploded bomb' found in a Great Amwell garden on Sunday had gone off - but that turned out to be an anchor! Among those who saw a flash was Alison Gable, 33, of Granville Gardens, Hoddesdon. She said: "I'd had a bad dream and was sitting at the front window so I saw and heard everything. "I saw a flash. It was brighter than lightning. Three seconds after, I heard the noise. That was dead on 3.30am. "I stayed up afterwards waiting to see if the emergency services would turn up because it was that loud. "There was a boom but the house didn't shake. I did though! It was far too loud and powerful for fireworks." Stanstead Abbotts resident Russell King said: "I heard them here and wondered at the time if a farmer was using explosives to remove old tree stumps or excavating - but why at night?" Mark Offredi, of the Roselands estate in Hoddedon, said: "My whole house was woken up by that explosion. I have friends in Stanstead Abbotts who head the noise and thought it might have been some sort of gun. "After visiting my nan's house a few doors away - she was away at the time - we noticed that many items that were on window sills had fallen to the floor." Also woken by the noise were Patricia and Ronald Day, of Stanstead Road, Hoddesdon. She said: "We thought it was something exploding or a great big bomb going off." Police received two calls about the sounds but were not called to any incident. The fire service received no calls about them. ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
