Downs reverberate with second week of explosions

More explosions have been heard near to Ashford this week, travelling across the water from a firing range in Essex .... more than 20 miles away!

Further planned test firings have been taking place at MoD Shoeburyness this week, with more coming over the next week according to the site’s website.

Blasts were heard this week in Challock on the North Downs, just outside Ashford.

Crispin Whiting, heard the explosions while out for a country walk in King’s Wood, which is 22 miles away from Shoeburyness as the crow flies.

Mr Whiting was walking in the wood with his wife, Angie, at around 2pm on Monday afternoon. He said: “We were surprised to hear the explosions so clearly at that distance.

“We often hear them at home between Faversham and Whitstable, but the early afternoon detonations seemed to echo round the wood, and the birdsong stopped for a while after each blast.”

The Shoeburyness range in Essex is operated by QinetiQ on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. The site is used to test new weap- ons and dispose of old ammunition. Blasts are commonly heard more north in Kent.

A QinetiQ spokesman said: “MOD Shoeburyness is a live firing range used by the Ministry of Defence for more than 150 years to test the safety and effectiveness of equipment and skills required by our Armed Forces.

“Information about the range and its activities is published on our website and updates about expected noise are posted daily on Twitter (@SHB_Alerts).

“Independent, expert studies, including the most recent published in October last year, have found no evidence linking activity at the range with damage to property.

“But residents with specific concerns are invited to call our care line free on 0800 0560108.”

Full details of the latest noise and vibration study can be found on shoeburyness.qinetiq.com or on GOV.UK

Picture: iStock Blasts from the Ministry of Defence firing range in Shoeburyness, Essex, were heard 22 miles away in Challock