A loud bang heard across north London, Hertfordshire and Essex was caused by RAF planes intercepting an unresponsive aircraft.

The sonic boom woke people and even shook houses at about 4.20am this morning (/November 1) according to Twitter users.

Two RAF Typhoon fighter jets had been granted permission to travel faster than the speed of sound as they were dispatched from Coningsby in Lincolnshire at about 4.10am to intercept an unresponsive aircraft.

An RAF spokeswoman said: "Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby were scrambled this morning, as part of the UK's Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) procedures, after an aircraft lost communications in UK airspace.

"The aircraft was intercepted and its communications were subsequently re-established."

RAF jets are only given permission to go supersonic in emergencies.

Herts Police and the Met Police took tweeted to reassure residents woken by the bang.

One Harrow resident tweeted a video of the moment the sonic boom heard.