RAF fighters intercept Latvian aircraft and force it to land at Stansted

A Russian-built Latvian cargo airplane was forced to land at London Stansted Airport late on Wednesday afternoon after having been intercepted by two Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoons.

Earlier in the afternoon, police were called to investigate on reports of a loud bang in Kent, which they believed "to be related to RAF activity in the area", after residents of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford took to social media to report the noise which, some said, shook their houses.

A spokesman for Kent Police tweeted: "Calls received about a loud bang in Kent this PM. Believed to be related to RAF activity in the area."

The aircraft lost contact with air traffic controllers, a spokesman for the Essex airport said.