AN airbase has apologised after one of its fighter jets “inadvertently” caused a sonic boom.

RAF Lakenheath issued the apology after several people posted on Twitter about hearing the loud bang near Watton in Norfolk.

Flight tapes showed the noise was caused by an F-15 jet flying within 25-miles of the town on April 17.

An RAF Lakenheath spokesman said: “48th Fighter Wing F-15 aircraft were flying within a training sortie in the general vicinity of Watton between 7pm and 10pm on April 17.

Upon review of the flight tapes, it appears one aircraft may have inadvertently gone supersonic momentarily and did not realise it during the flight.

“We will continue to emphasise air-speed restrictions in flight briefings to keep this from happening in the future.

“We offer out sincerest apologies for any disturbance this may have caused.”

A sonic boom is created as an aircraft breaks the sound barrier causing a high-energy shockwave.