Northern Lights: England's skies glow in aurora spectacle

The Sycamore Gap tree in Hexham made the perfect backdrop for photographer Wil Cheung

Skies gleamed pink, green and yellow as the aurora borealis illuminated parts of northern England.

The natural phenomenon was captured by photographers in the Lake District and in Northumberland on Tuesday evening.

The aurora appears when atoms in the Earth's high-altitude atmosphere collide with energetic charged particles from the Sun, creating light.

The vivid colours of the aurora were also seen in Scotland, Yorkshire and Cornwall.

Photographers who stayed up to catch a glimpse of the spectacle shared their images with the BBC.

Leah Hennessey said the Northern Lights "never fail to excite her"

Leah Hennessey waited by Ashness Jetty, near Keswick, to see the Milky Way but was diverted to snapping the Northern Lights when she saw the lights.

"It never fails to excite me seeing the Northern Lights, no matter how many times," she added.

Mark Hetherington said he was thrilled to have seen the Northern Lights near Haweswater Reservoir, Cumbria

Mark Hetherington was thrilled to capture a yellow glow near Haweswater Reservoir in Cumbria.

"What a night," he said.

Jonny Gios had intended to take photos of the Milky Way, but was instead rewarded with views of the aurora

Jonny Gios, from Kendal, was also at Haweswater Reservoir to gaze at the skies.

"I was there with a friend to take photos of the Milky Way... and instead we got the aurora," Mr Gios said.

"I absolutely loved it. It was just phenomenal to see it on our doorstep," he said.

• What are the Northern Lights?

• Watch: Northern Lights put on display in Yorkshire

Parts of Northumberland were lit up on Tuesday evening, including Rothley Castle, Bamburgh lighthouse and near Holy Island Causeway.

Tom Wright described the display as "stunning" as he watched from 21:30 BST until 04:00.

Tom Wright stayed up all night to watch the spectacle light up Rothley Castle

The first vivid aurora of the autumn in Argyll and Bute in Scotland

Photographers in Yorkshire and in Aberdeenshire and Argyll and Bute in Scotland were also eager to capture the display.

Andy Ward, who watched near Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales, said: "Although monochrome to the eye, I could see these beams with sharp edges reaching up like search lights, it was fabulous."

Aurora borealis

By BBC weather forecaster Simon King

The aurora can happen any time of the year but a major factor to seeing it of course is having dark skies.

Sightings are likely to become more regular as we approach the peak in solar activity in 2025.

Throughout the summer, the window of opportunity therefore is perhaps only a few hours at most when it is very dark.

Now we're into autumn and the nights are getting longer, we've had our first widespread spotting of the Northern Lights.

Seeing it in north-east England and Cumbria isn't too uncommon but for it to occur so vividly this early on in the autumn is less likely.

Steven Lomas captured pink and yellow hues in skies over Bamburgh Lighthouse

Ashley Corr said he witnessed a "magnificent display" from 21:00 BST to 02:00 at Howick in Northumberland.

"I had the place to myself and the whole experience was mesmerising," he said, after making a two-hour journey from Houghton-Le-Spring.

Ashley Corr made a two-hour journey to get to Howick to watch the phenomenon

PA Media photographer Owen Humphreys captured a green gleam over the refuge hut on the Holy Island Causeway