A loud explosion that caused mass concern over areas in the midlands has been confirmed to be an RAF fighter jet.

It comes after locals across Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire heard a ‘loud band’ which many thought was a sonic boom.

Now, police have confirmed that the noise was created after an RAF fighter jet had to help escort an aircraft with lost communications.

As Essex Police have since said that the aircraft landed at Stansted Airport at around 12.50pm.

As a spokesperson for Essex Police said: “A flight has been diverted to Stansted Airport after communications with the pilot had been lost.

"The plane was escorted to the airport by RAF jets and landed shortly before 12.50pm today (Saturday, 4 March).

"Officers are engaging with the pilot and enquiries are ongoing."

Many people who heard the bang, were quick to ring the police seeing Leicestershire Police urge that there was “no concern”.

Some took to social media to question the noise, as one local tweeted: “Very loud boom in Leicester about 15 mins ago. Felt the air shake - cats scared and ran indoors. Very unnerving - what the hell was it?"

Whilst another said: “Massive boom heard over a wide area of Leicestershire. Aircraft, or meteor?”

Aarondeep Mann, 22, heard the bang in Houghton-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire, and said his first thought was it may have been a gas explosion.

“It was the most random, loud thing we’ve ever heard as we were clearing the boot of the car out,” Mr Mann, a practice manager, told the PA news agency.

“First thoughts were that it could be a gas pipe explosion.

“All the neighbours came out as the houses were practically shaking.”

What is a sonic boom?

Sonic booms are caused when a plane fly’s faster than the speed of sound which at ground level is 761mph.

When aircrafts travel at this speed, it will displace air and creates pressure waves which become compressed and when released, creates a shock wave, this is also known as Mach 1.

Whilst a plane is flying at Mach 1, it will continually generate sound waves known as boom carpet.

Aircrafts flying at 20,000 feet would create a sonic boom that would reach 20 miles wide.