Northern Lights in rare West Midlands display

The skies over Mow Cop Castle, Staffordshire, overnight on Friday

The Northern Lights have made a rare appearance across the UK, delighting sky-watchers in the West Midlands and across many other parts of the country.

The lights, also known as aurora borealis, were visible on Friday night in places including Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

They could be seen after a particularly strong geomagnetic storm hit Earth, prompting the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issuing a rare solar storm warning.

BBC Weather said the clear skies on Friday evening made sightings possible from almost everywhere in the UK.

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, was one of many places where the lights were visible

People in Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern parts of England usually have a higher likelihood of seeing the lights.

It is possible the phenomenon will be visible again on Saturday night as well.

The lights put on a show in Endon, Staffordshire

The Northern Lights have been visible in both the East Midlands and West Midlands on earlier occasions this year.

The last time an extreme geomagnetic storm hit Earth was in 2003, so Friday's display was rare.

The aurora borealis in Dorrington, Shropshire

The lights could be seen in Lichfield, Staffordshire

Worcester sky-gazers also saw the lights overnight on Friday