Pictures show Northern Lights in the skies above south Essex

The Aurora Borealis was visible in parts of the UK on Sunday and Monday night in what was described as “one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky”.

And the Echo’s camera club members were lucky enough to capture these stunning shots.

Andrew Steele, who snapped one of the images in Canewdon, said: “At around 11.30pm, the northern lights appeared in a picture I took.

“They weren’t visible to the naked eye at the time.

“It lasted about five minutes and then they vanished and didn’t see them again.”

Mr Steele also saw the Northern Lights back in May when they were visible in the UK.

He added:”They were all over the sky in a much more vivid display.

Andrew Steele’s picture of the Northern Lights in Canewdon

“I’ve been to Norway, Denmark and Sweden but yet never seen them until back in the UK.”

The Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth’s atmosphere being energised by the charged particles.

Nitrogen and oxygen are the two most common gases in the atmosphere, with nitrogen emitting purple, blue and pink colours and oxygen emitting green.

Jennie Spittle’s picture at Lion Creek

The Met Office first alerted people that the fascinating phenomenon may be visible in parts of the UK at the weekend.

Then on Monday evening, the UK’s national weather and climate service said northern areas could have an “enhanced chance” of seeing the Northern Lights due to a coronal mass ejection from the sun.

Florence Jennifer Geary’s picture of the Northern Lights

The Met Office Space Weather forecast said: “The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight and viewing conditions will generally be good, with clear skies for many of us and perhaps as many as 100 meteors every hour

“A coronal mass ejection from the sun may also given an enhanced chance of seeing the aurora in northern areas.”