By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 09:38 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:03 EST, 20 February 2014 . The biggest earthquake in six years has hit the South West of the UK with the tremor measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale. Some coastal towns in south-west Britain were shaken by the quake, which the British Geological Survey (BGS) said had originated in the Bristol Channel. Homeowners reported their houses rocking and others have described the quake as 'frightening'. Quake: Experts say the biggest earthquake in six years has hit the South West of the UK with the tremor, originating in the Bristol Channel, measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale . But others likened the tremor, which originated in the Bristol Channel at around 1.20pm today, to a 'heavy truck going up the road'.There were no reports of casualties or . damage to buildings but people did tweet details of broken flower pots, . smashed lamps and books falling off shelves. One resident in Birdgwater, Somerset, claimed she felt her work building 'swaying'. Tremors . were felt in areas including Dartmoor, Bristol, Taunton, Swansea, . Llanelli, Barnstable, Gloucester and South Molton, the BGS said. A . spokesman said: "At this time the BGS have received several macroseismic . reports from residents throughout Devon and South Wales. 'One . describing "the house was rocking", another described "lasted several . seconds and it was very frightening" and another said "it felt like a . really heavy truck going up the road".' The magnitude of the tremor mean it is . the biggest felt in the UK since 2008 when a quake measuring 5.1 on the . Richter scale struck near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. That was the largest to hit Britain since 1984 and  was felt across areas including Merseyside, Birmingham, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Northampton, Norfolk, Surrey and Greater London. Today many people took to social networks including Twitter, reporting that they had felt the ground move for around 10 seconds. Emma Larkworthy, who lives in Barnstaple, Devon, around ten 25 miles from the epicentre, said: "My daughter Nadine and I felt tremors and the house shudder about 1.25pm. 'It was quite scary hearing what we thought was a loud bang then all the furniture shook then hearing like a rumble ratting and we couldn't fathom out where it was coming from. Movement: Data from a survey station in North Devon showing a large seismic activity as people in the area reported feeling the ground shake for around 10 seconds . Tremor: Real-time Seismograph data from a survey station in Swindon showing a large seismic activity at 1.21pm today. The shock was also measured in Wales, Cornwall and Jersey. Sally Norden, another Barnstaple . resident, said: 'I thought I was going mad. I was sat having a cuppa in . my front room and felt the earth move. 'I . looked outside and the birds all seemed to be very noisy and flying . off. It was quite scary and I was left feeling disorientated.' Phil . Aageson, who works at Springfield Court, a facility for people with . mental health issues in Barnstaple, said anxious staff thought a vehicle . had ploughed into their building. He . said: 'The whole building shook and people thought something had hit . the building. It shook and wobbled and no one knew what it was.' Shaken Brendan Garnett-Frizell felt the quake from inside an office in Barnstaple. 'The whole building shook and people thought something had hit . the building. It shook and wobbled and no one knew what it was'Phil Aageson, Barnstaple . He . said: 'We felt it pretty strongly in the upper floors of the Barnstaple . Jobcentre building at the same time as reported by others. 'There was some proper swaying on the shelves and filing cabinets.' Bay FM radio in Exmouth said the radio studios shook. Twitter user Robin Beer said: 'Anybody else feel the earth tremor just now?! #devon #barnstaple #earthquake.' Ant Veal tweeted: 'Noticeable earth tremor just now (13.22GMT) in Exeter. Lasted 3 seconds. #Devon #earthquake.' Glenn Watts added: 'Small tremor felt in Exeter, lasted 5 seconds armchairs wobbled as did the tv on its stand.' People in South Wales also reported feeling the ground shake. Someone using the name @BuskingWomble wrote: 'Blimey did anyone else feel that tremor? #BurryPort #Llanelli.' Another user said: 'Earthquake Tremor in Wales today. We felt it in the building in Swansea.' Twitter user Paul Clews posted a picture of a broken lamp, saying that the damage occurred as a result of the tremor. Shaken: Twitter user Paul Clews posted a picture of a broken lamp, saying that the damage occurred as a result of the tremor . The definition of a quake of 4.1 on the richter scale is: 'Noticeable shaking of indoor objects and rattling noises. Felt by most people in the affected area. Slightly felt outside. Generally causes none to minimal damage. Moderate to significant damage very unlikely. Some objects may fall off shelves or be knocked over. 10,000 to 15,000 per year in the world.' However, a factor nine Earthquake is defined by: Near or at total destruction - severe damage or collapse to all buildings. Heavy damage and shaking extends to distant locations. Permanent changes in ground topography. Death toll usually over 50,000. Susanne Sargeant, from the British Geological Survey, said it was 'not unusual' to get quakes in the Bristol Channel. 'It is an area in the Bristol Channel we know to have seismological action,' she said. 'One guy called and said he was in his house when he felt the earthquake - he said it was a bit of a surprise. Things were shaking on the shelves and he ran outside. 'We do see earthquakes here from time to time and the last one was at Hartland Point in 2001 - that's 50km south west of today's earthquake.' Other significant earthquakes to rock the UK include a 4.3 magnitude quake in Folkestone Kent in April 2007, and a 4.7 which hit Dudley in the West Midlands in September 2002. A 6.1 magnitude quake was recorded in the North Sea in June 1931.
British Geological Society says quake originated in the Bristol Channel .
People reported feeling the ground shake for around 10 seconds .
The effects were felt at around 1.20pm in north Devon and south Wales .
By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 09:38 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:03 EST, 20 February 2014 . The biggest earthquake in six years has hit the South West of the UK with the tremor measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale. Some coastal towns in south-west Britain were shaken by the quake, which the British Geological Survey (BGS) said had originated in the Bristol Channel. Homeowners reported their houses rocking and others have described the quake as 'frightening'. Quake: Experts say the biggest earthquake in six years has hit the South West of the UK with the tremor, originating in the Bristol Channel, measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale . But others likened the tremor, which originated in the Bristol Channel at around 1.20pm today, to a 'heavy truck going up the road'.There were no reports of casualties or . damage to buildings but people did tweet details of broken flower pots, . smashed lamps and books falling off shelves. One resident in Birdgwater, Somerset, claimed she felt her work building 'swaying'. Tremors . were felt in areas including Dartmoor, Bristol, Taunton, Swansea, . Llanelli, Barnstable, Gloucester and South Molton, the BGS said. A . spokesman said: "At this time the BGS have received several macroseismic . reports from residents throughout Devon and South Wales. 'One . describing "the house was rocking", another described "lasted several . seconds and it was very frightening" and another said "it felt like a . really heavy truck going up the road".' The magnitude of the tremor mean it is . the biggest felt in the UK since 2008 when a quake measuring 5.1 on the . Richter scale struck near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. That was the largest to hit Britain since 1984 and  was felt across areas including Merseyside, Birmingham, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Northampton, Norfolk, Surrey and Greater London. Today many people took to social networks including Twitter, reporting that they had felt the ground move for around 10 seconds. Emma Larkworthy, who lives in Barnstaple, Devon, around ten 25 miles from the epicentre, said: "My daughter Nadine and I felt tremors and the house shudder about 1.25pm. 'It was quite scary hearing what we thought was a loud bang then all the furniture shook then hearing like a rumble ratting and we couldn't fathom out where it was coming from. Movement: Data from a survey station in North Devon showing a large seismic activity as people in the area reported feeling the ground shake for around 10 seconds . Tremor: Real-time Seismograph data from a survey station in Swindon showing a large seismic activity at 1.21pm today. The shock was also measured in Wales, Cornwall and Jersey. Sally Norden, another Barnstaple . resident, said: 'I thought I was going mad. I was sat having a cuppa in . my front room and felt the earth move. 'I . looked outside and the birds all seemed to be very noisy and flying . off. It was quite scary and I was left feeling disorientated.' Phil . Aageson, who works at Springfield Court, a facility for people with . mental health issues in Barnstaple, said anxious staff thought a vehicle . had ploughed into their building. He . said: 'The whole building shook and people thought something had hit . the building. It shook and wobbled and no one knew what it was.' Shaken Brendan Garnett-Frizell felt the quake from inside an office in Barnstaple. 'The whole building shook and people thought something had hit . the building. It shook and wobbled and no one knew what it was'Phil Aageson, Barnstaple . He . said: 'We felt it pretty strongly in the upper floors of the Barnstaple . Jobcentre building at the same time as reported by others. 'There was some proper swaying on the shelves and filing cabinets.' Bay FM radio in Exmouth said the radio studios shook. Twitter user Robin Beer said: 'Anybody else feel the earth tremor just now?! #devon #barnstaple #earthquake.' Ant Veal tweeted: 'Noticeable earth tremor just now (13.22GMT) in Exeter. Lasted 3 seconds. #Devon #earthquake.' Glenn Watts added: 'Small tremor felt in Exeter, lasted 5 seconds armchairs wobbled as did the tv on its stand.' People in South Wales also reported feeling the ground shake. Someone using the name @BuskingWomble wrote: 'Blimey did anyone else feel that tremor? #BurryPort #Llanelli.' Another user said: 'Earthquake Tremor in Wales today. We felt it in the building in Swansea.' Twitter user Paul Clews posted a picture of a broken lamp, saying that the damage occurred as a result of the tremor. Shaken: Twitter user Paul Clews posted a picture of a broken lamp, saying that the damage occurred as a result of the tremor . The definition of a quake of 4.1 on the richter scale is: 'Noticeable shaking of indoor objects and rattling noises. Felt by most people in the affected area. Slightly felt outside. Generally causes none to minimal damage. Moderate to significant damage very unlikely. Some objects may fall off shelves or be knocked over. 10,000 to 15,000 per year in the world.' However, a factor nine Earthquake is defined by: Near or at total destruction - severe damage or collapse to all buildings. Heavy damage and shaking extends to distant locations. Permanent changes in ground topography. Death toll usually over 50,000. Susanne Sargeant, from the British Geological Survey, said it was 'not unusual' to get quakes in the Bristol Channel. 'It is an area in the Bristol Channel we know to have seismological action,' she said. 'One guy called and said he was in his house when he felt the earthquake - he said it was a bit of a surprise. Things were shaking on the shelves and he ran outside. 'We do see earthquakes here from time to time and the last one was at Hartland Point in 2001 - that's 50km south west of today's earthquake.' Other significant earthquakes to rock the UK include a 4.3 magnitude quake in Folkestone Kent in April 2007, and a 4.7 which hit Dudley in the West Midlands in September 2002. A 6.1 magnitude quake was recorded in the North Sea in June 1931.
by the quake, which the British Geological Survey (BGS) said had originated in the Bristol Channel. Bristol Channel at around 1.20pm today, to a had felt the ground move for around 10 seconds. shake for around 10 seconds . Tremor: Real-time People in South Wales also reported feeling the