Loud "strange" noises and bangs heard in Crawley, UK

C Ballinger
Crawley News
Sun, 08 Mar 2015 16:25 UTC

People across Crawley have reported hearing "strange" noises and bangs last night (Saturday, March 7)

People across Crawley have reported hearing constant loud noises all over the town last night

Residents living in almost every neighbourhood have been asking what was the cause of the bangs which could be heard on Saturday night (March 7).

Aneliese Whittaker tweeted the Crawley News to say there were "strange loud sounds heard all across Crawley, Horley and Gatwick".

People have reported on social media that the noises sounded like a bomb being detonated, constant thunder and fireworks, or even like the sonic boom heard in parts of Kent and Sussex last October.

There have been reports of a fireworks display taking place at the Ghyll Manor Hotel and Restaurant, which is based off the High Street in Rusper.

It has been suggested low cloud cover meant the fireworks produced an unusual noise across the town.

This weekend has also marked the celebration of the Holi festival of colours. The Hindu festival represents victory of good over evil, and the arrival of spring.

The date of the festival changes each year because it takes place on the day after the last full moon. This year celebrations started on Friday (March 6) and continued on Saturday (March 7).

Comment: This is not the first time 'strange sounds' have been heard around the Crawley area. From Facebook user Horsham on 16th November 2013:

At about 0520 this morning there was a very loud 'boom' noise over Crawley Down.

I live 10 minutes away from Gatwick airport but it didn't sound like anything from there. I also live right next to the motorway, is everything ok there??? It sounded like a sound from a sci fi film or something. Looking it up there are sounds from electro magnetic pulses like that but I just wondered if anyone else had any ideas?

In response, Nicholas Butler said:

I heard these sounds earlier this it was around 1am similar to that experienced here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amSpXvyPRrg

Being in close proximity to Gatwick Airport, one possible cause could be that of sonic booms from aircraft. But as Mr Butler explains:

I grew up on and around Airfields a sonic boom sounds like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMc9t8U-oC0 everything from a Dash 8 to a Tu-95 as aircraft with propellers go sounded nothing like that vibrant hum.