Light earthquake reported in southern Scotland

LONDON, Dec 26 (Reuters) An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale hit Scotland today, the largest tremor in Britain this year, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said.

Police said hundreds of residents in the Dumfries and Galloway area of southern Scotland reported a tremor that shook houses around 1610 IST.

''This was a significant earthquake,'' said Bennett Simpson, a seismologist with the BGS in Edinburgh.

''We have taken a number of calls from people in the Dumfries area reporting windows rattling, houses shaking and hearing a large bang,'' said Simpson. ''It's a small earthquake overall but it's the biggest in the UK so far this year.'' No damage or injuries were reported, police said.

The BSG said one or two earthquakes of this magnitude were expected in Britain every year.

REUTERS MS VV1944