Parts of UK hit by 4.9 magnitude earthquake causing homes to shake northeast of Shetland

British Geological Survey says earthquake had a magnitude of 4.9

Tremors felt as far away as Aberdeen (BGS)

Houses in parts of the UK were left shaking this morning after an earthquake hit off the coast of Shetland.

The British Geological Survey said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck around 11 miles (180km) northeast of Shetland at around 5.32am.

It said people as far away as Aberdeen reported "three waves of vibration in around three seconds”.

Adam Priest said the earthquake resulted in his home in Nesting home shaking, saying: "The house shook for 30 seconds, like a tuning fork.

"It woke me at first then just kept shaking, slowly diminishing over the 30 seconds."

Meanwhile in Sandwick, Rebecca Colyer said she was awake already and heard a trembling noise before her walls started shaking.

"At first I thought it was the washing machine on a spin, but it felt too strong for that," she said.

Data from the British Geological Survey (BGS) shows that its Lerwick seismic station recorded activity for around two minutes.

While some received a rude awakening from the rumbles, many said they did not feel it - or slept right through it.

This morning's earthquake occurred in roughly the same area of sea where a quake with a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale could be felt across the isles on 9 January 2007.

The British Geological Survey has been contacted for comment.

The organisation operates a network of over 100 seismograph stations across the UK.