HUNDREDS of people across Fenland were awoken by an earth tremor that rocked parts of central Britain at just before 1am today.The shock, which measured 5.2 on the Richter scale, was centred in Lincolnshire but felt across the country.Cambridgeshire s e

HUNDREDS of people across Fenland were awoken by an earth tremor that rocked parts of central Britain at just before 1am today.

The shock, which measured 5.2 on the Richter scale, was centred in Lincolnshire but felt across the country.

Cambridgeshire's emergency services were inundated by anxious callers, although by 1.30am there had been no report of damage or injury.

Cambridgeshire Police control room received 41 emergency 999 calls and almost 200 non-emergency calls from residents concerned by the earthquake over the same period.

The BBC reported receiving calls from people in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Manchester, Berkshire and the West Midlands about a "quake".

The tremor could be felt in central Birmingham at about 0100 GMT but it is unclear if it has caused any damage.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) initially gave the magnitude for the 12.56am earthquake as 5.3 on the Richter scale but later said it was closer to 5.2. The centre was five miles east of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, and about 15 miles south west of Grimsby.

Margaret Bishop of March said: “My husband, a visitor and myself were sitting chatting in our living room at 1am when the house began to shake, we were not aware of what it was at first. The glasses in our cabinet were shaking. It only lasted about five seconds but it was very eerie at the time.”

Spencer Larham of Ramnoth Road, Wisbech, was watching television. He said: “ It sounded like a train approaching, it was a vibration which seemed to be travelling through the floor.

“It was a very surreal experience to go through. I think we had one back in 1991 so I knew what it was. My wife and children then woke up and were surprised when I told them there had been an earthquake.”

Other people reported beds and wardrobes shaking and a rumbling noise like thunder.

Rosemary Hyde of Pentland Way, March, said “the whole house shook and seemed to lurch as in high winds but more so. It was like someone trying to tumble us out of our bed, it was quite frightening but soon over.

“I felt quite sure it had been an earth tremor. My husband slept through it and didn't really believe me. At 8am I heard on the news that it was in Market Rasen and Lincolnshire area and far too close for my liking.”

* TELL us your experiences. Email maggie.gibson@archant.co.uk.