Thousands of people in the north-east of England said they felt their homes shake on Saturday night, as British seismologists confirmed the region had been hit by a minor earthquake.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, an online monitoring service, said the cause was a 3.9 magnitude quake close to Grimsby, affecting an area of more than three million inhabitants.

The British Geological Survey confirmed the reports, saying it happened at a depth of 18km.

Social media lit up as residents of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire described their experiences.

People as far away as Birmingham and Swindon reported feeling the effects.