AN earthquake expert has reassured people they need not worry about Britain being hit by bigger, more damaging tremors.

Alison Robinson, lecturer in environmental geo-science at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, said: "I would imagine we are very secure.

"These things don't occur that often. You would expect a magnitude 4 every two years.

"This was higher, 5.3, which is significantly higher.

"Most people are unaware, but there are earthquakes every day in Britain, tiny little earth movements that nobody can feel except for seismological devices.

"Just so often a slightly larger one comes along that we do notice."

She said the last significant earthquake to hit the country was at the Lleyn Peninsula, North Wales in 1984 which was "slightly higher than last night".

"That was felt slightly more in Lancashire because of the structure of the Irish Sea," said Alison.

"I personally do remember it happening in Kirkham."

She explained that higher structures, such as chimneys, especially unstable ones, are prone to damage from such earthqukes - because they are away from the ground and "get shaken to pieces".

She said the earthquakes that this country suffers are "just caused by local faults and fractures in the earth as they settle down and move."

We are well away from the European zones of more serious danger zone such as Southern Italy and Greece.

Lisbon in 1775 suffered a magnitude eight earthquake that virtually demolished the city.

"Tectonically we are an extremely stable country," said Alison.