Rare fallstreak hole cloud formations pictured

An unusual type of circular cloud formation has been spotted and photographed across the east of England.

BBC Weather Watchers captured these images of fallstreak holes, also known as holepunch clouds, in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire on Monday.

Look East weather presenter Julie Reinger said: "They look like giant flying saucers. They are very rare but we had a few of them out there during the afternoon."

They appear as large circular gaps in blankets of clouds where water droplets are supercooled below 0C (32F) but not yet frozen.

The Met Office said: "Aircraft punching through this cloud layer can cause air to expand and cool as it passes over the aircraft wings or propeller.

"This change in temperature can be enough to encourage the supercooled droplets to freeze and fall from the cloud layer in this distinctive pattern."