The British Geological Survey said the quake was felt across Lancashire and the southern Lake District.

Terrified residents have described being shaken and stirred after a 3.3 magnitude earthquake shook homes in the north of England.

Some feared a Chernobyl-style nuclear catastrophe at the nearby atomic power plant in Heysham, Lancashire, before finding “seismic activity” had disturbed thousands of people across the north of the county and south Cumbria.

Houses shuddered and fixtures and fittings rattled when the earthquake struck, shortly after 11.23pm on Wednesday.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said tremors were felt across Lancashire and the southern Lake District, including the towns of Kendal and Ulverston, within 12 miles of the epicentre.

Data suggests the quake occurred

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