Heysham

People in Heysham, near Morecambe, were alarmed and called Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to report the sudden noise at the EDF operated power plant at about 17:00 GMT.

Pictures shared with the BBC showed a white cloud in a mushroom shape hanging above the second of two plants in the area, known as Heysham 2.

Heysham 2 went offline over Christmas due to an issue with the high voltage transmission system run by National Grid.

Heysham 1 began operating in 1983 and has two advanced gas cooled reactors, scheduled for closure in 2027.

In a statement, the ferry operators said it was offering sailings from Dublin to its ports in Birkenhead, Fishguard and Heysham, as well as additional sailings from Belfast to Cairnryan to assist the flow of trade and passengers.