Peak District: 'Cloud inversions show nature's gentle side'

A photographer who captured stunning pictures of a cloud inversion in the Peak District has said it was so beautiful he nearly forgot to take a picture.

Andrew Hayes, from Nottinghamshire, said he had decided to head out to capture the weather phenomenon before sunrise because he could not sleep.

"I saw the clear skies and stars and figured I'd be able to make it to Mam Tor from Mansfield Woodhouse in the hour-and-a half before sunrise," he said.

"Within 20 minutes the car was loaded and coffee consumed."

An inversion happens when the temperature increases with height, the Met Office said.

"This often happens in areas of high pressure, where the air high up often sinks towards the ground," it said.

"As it falls, it dries out and warms up. This warm layer of air can act as a lid and trap cooler air near the surface."

Mr Hayes said it was "a sight to behold".

"Another gentlemen pulled up in his car and stood beside me," he said.

"We both said how amazing it looked - it was one of those moments where I momentarily forgot I had a camera in my hands."

Mr Hayes said he had tried "many, many times" to capture a cloud inversion but had been scuppered every time by the weather until last year.

He added: "It's one of those occasions when Mother Nature shows her gentle and beautiful side - for that few minutes you are at total peace with yourself, all of life's woes disappear.

"And seeing the images on screen on the back of the camera just filled me with excitement because I knew I'd captured something special. That's the beauty of the Peak District."