Dereham residents have been left puzzled by a loud noise which has been described as being similar to an explosion.

Dereham Times: Boundary Close, Dereham. Picture; ArchantBoundary Close, Dereham. Picture; Archant (Image: Archant)

The sound was heard at around 9.30pm on Monday and people have claimed it was powerful enough to shake their homes.

'We heard a really load bang which sounded like an explosion and the whole flat shook,' said Shannon Kingston-miles, who lives on Boundary Close.

'The lamp shade was swinging from it, it was the kind of bang that you felt in your tummy. It made us jump and our cats hid as they were terrified. We live in flats and we are up high and it just made the whole place sway and shake.'

Mark Hodgson, who lives on Gordon Road, said: 'It sounded like some sort of explosion above houses towards crown road or further away.'

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said they received a call at around 9.30pm about a 'loud bang but no fire, no smoke and no other loud noises.'

They said that officers believed the cause was likely to be linked to an object that was thrown on a controlled fire.

Did you hear the loud bang? Email steve.shaw@archant.co.uk