THE booming noise heard over High Wycombe this evening was from Typhoon fighter jets on a defence exercise ahead of the Olympic Games.

The roar of the fighter jets was heard cutting through the south Bucks skies at about 9.40pm tonight – sparking concern from some residents.

Thames Valley Police confirmed it had received a number of calls in the last hour.

And startled residents posted on social networking sites how the thundering sound scared their children and woke them from their slumber.

But the Ministry of Defence has moved to reassure residents that it was part of operation Olympic Guardian, a nine day exercise to put the armed forces through their paces before London 2012.

The MoD told the Free Press that residents may hear the jets in the skies again over the coming days.

The fighter jets touched down at RAF Northolt in west London on May 2 and will be stationed there until May 10.

The exercises will test the procedures aircrews will use to intercept and communicate with aircraft breaching restricted airspace during the Olympics.

Pilots entering restricted airspace will be intercepted by Typhoon fighters or military helicopters, the MoD states.