The demolition of a gasometer may have helped trigger the Dudley earthquake, an expert says.

Geotechnical consultant Alan Cook said the structure's collapse probably had a "knock-on effect" in surrounding rocks.

However the British Geological Survey (BGS) said it was "highly unlikely" the incidents were related.

The BGS is appealing for people who experienced the earthquake to contact them and fill out an online survey.

The gasometer at Foleshill - about 25 miles from the tremour's epicentre in Dudley - was demolished on Sunday morning to make way for Coventry City's new football stadium.

The amount of energy involved (in a demolition) is insignificant compared to an earthquake

Seismologist Glenn Ford

The earthquake, with its epicentre at Dudley, occurred more than 17 hours later at 0053 BST on Monday morning.

Mr Cook said the earthquake's main cause was the build-up of pressure in tectonic plates, but the gasometer demolition may have contributed.

He explained: "It was a big explosion, a big crash of material hit the ground.

"It has to have had an effect on the local stress on the local rocks and that just may have had the knock-on effect of releasing the stress elsewhere."

Large demolitions

Glenn Ford, a senior seismologist at the BGS, did not agree.

He countered: "Large demolitions are going on all the time, such as blocks of flats or at quarries.

"The amount of energy involved is insignificant compared with an earthquake."

The Dudley earthquake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale and was felt across the West Midlands, Wales, North Yorkshire, London, and Wiltshire

It caused some damage to buildings in the West Midlands.