Thousands of fish were flash frozen in a Norwegian bay after a harsh wind caused temperatures to suddenly dip to minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.

The huge shoal of herring were swimming too close to the surface when the water suddenly froze around them, completely stopping them in mid-swim and creating the incredible sight.

The image was captured by Ingolf Kristiansen from the tiny island of Lovund in central Norway.

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“I've never seen anything like it. It has not happened before here as far as I know,” he told NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.

Normally fish would be able to swim underneath the ice but this time they weren’t so lucky - fish expert Aril Slotte said the herring may have become trapped after being chased towards the shore by a predator, possibly whales.

Mr Kristiansen said the fish remain completely frozen at present, but the local birds and whales are set to have a feast when it finally melts.