Britons stayed up all night to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights as a massive solar storm brought a beautiful aurora to the skies above the UK.

In rare and spectacular sightings on Friday night, the aurora was spotted across the country, from Whitley Bay in the North East to as far south as Kent and Hampshire.

The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, were seen in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Berkshire, Suffolk, and Liverpool.

The stunning light show came as the most powerful solar storm in almost 20 years hit Earth on Friday night.

Space weather experts said buffeting solar wind is colliding with our planet’s magnetic field, triggering strong aurora at more southerly latitudes than normal.