Northern lights dazzle over UK, Europe and across the hemisphere

Aurora borealis sightings further south than usual from Ireland and Britain to Czech Republic and Germany as solar storm hits Earth's atmosphere

• How can I see the northern lights in the UK tonight?

The aurora borealis has lit up the night sky with rare sightings across the UK, Europe and the northern hemisphere.

The northern lights were spotted in Whitley Bay on the north-east coast; Essex; Cambridgeshire; and Wokingham in Berkshire. They were also sighted in Suffolk, Kent, Hampshire and Liverpool.