If you heard some loud bangs this morning, you may be wondering where they came from.

The London Proof House has been proofing cannons at Fort Amherst in Chatham.

The testing of two cannons took place on the Lower Fortress at the historic site off Dock Road. The bangs could be heard from the other side of the river in Strood.

Fort Amherst posted a warning on its social media to let locals know. It read: "NOTICE: There will be a few loud bangs from Fort Amherst on Monday 28 March from 11am."

Proofing is the process of testing the safety of a gun barrel. Cannons that pass the test are then marked with the London proof mark.

Bill Fowler, chairman of the Fort Amherst Heritage Trust, said: "If anyone wants to have a cannon for use, it has to be proofed by The London Proof House.

"The cannons that were proofed do not belong to us, they belong to one of the re-enactment groups.

"Fort Amherst was used as a safe venue as we can isolate an area to do it."