The quake measured about 3 on the Richter scale

Edinburgh-based seismologists registered four tremors in and around Taunton on Thursday, all measuring around 3 on the Richter scale.

The first was at 1056 GMT; then one a minute later and the other two at 2023 GMT - just six seconds apart.

No-one is believed to have been injured in any of the tremors, and there was no damage to any buildings.

An officer at Somerset Fire Brigade's headquarters, north-east of Taunton, said its floor had moved during what sounded like a "loud roll of thunder" in one of the later tremors.

He said: "I felt a tremor. The floor moved noticeably and there was a deep rumble like a loud roll of thunder for about eight seconds.

"The windows didn't move so we knew it wasn't Concorde. It was just the floor shaking."

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police added: "We received numerous telephone calls from as far apart as Cheddon Fitzpaine, Monkton Heathfield, Langport and Street, as well as the centre of Taunton."