• Recent late winner against Norwich caused earthquake with magnitude of 0.3 • Geology students say Leonardo Ulloa’s goal caused spike in seismic activity

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Leicester City’s success on the pitch has been sending shockwaves through the city with the celebrations of fans being picked up by equipment used to detect earthquakes.

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Supporters jumping up and down at the King Power Stadium when Leicester grabbed an 89th-minute winner against Norwich City caused a quake with a magnitude of 0.3, researchers have said.

The team have been the surprise package in the Premier League and are clear at the top by five points with nine games left to play.

A group of geology students at the University of Leicester placed earthquake detecting equipment at a primary school near to the ground and said Leonardo Ulloa’s last-gasp winner led to a spike in seismic activity.

Richard Hoyle, a first-year student from Leeds studying geological science at the University of Leicester, said: “A few days after we installed the equipment at the school and were analysing data collected, we noticed large peaks on the seismogram during football matches being held in the stadium nearby.

“A closer look showed us there was a strong correlation between the exact time Leicester scored at home and the occurrence of the large seismic signals. We concluded our equipment was measuring small earthquakes produced by the sudden energy release by the cheering Leicester fans celebrating at the moment a goal was scored.”

The equipment works alongside a similar system in the basement of the university’s Department of Geology building and another recently installed set in the New Walk Museum in the city.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leicester City fans celebrate Danny Drinkwater’s goal against West Bromwich Albion. A 0.1 quake was registered when Drinkwater scored to level the game at 1-1. Photograph: Jim Powell/The Guardian

By measuring small earthquakes using this equipment – such as a 2.3 magnitude tremor in Thame on Sunday – the students are then able to calibrate the calculation for the quakes when Leicester score.

During last Tuesday’s match against West Bromwich Albion, a 0.1 quake was registered when Danny Drinkwater scored to level the game at 1-1, and smaller signals were detected when West Brom found the net.