
Dramatic images of the volcano Bardarbunga violently spewing lava and molton ash have emerged - suggesting that Iceland was quite right to ban all flights over the area.

Craters spit out lava as molten rock flows into a river in the stunning images taken over the Holuhraun lava fields in the Icelandic highlands.

The country's Met Office issued a 'red alert' at the end of August after the Bardarbunga volcano, which lies underneath the Vatnajökull glacier, experienced a 'small' eruption.

Craters spit out lava as molten rock flows into a river in the stunning images taken over the Holuhraun lava fields in the Icelandic highlands.

The Met Office issued a 'red alert' at the end of August after the Bardarbunga volcano, which lies underneath the Vatnajökull glacier, experienced a 'small' eruption.

The dramatic pictures of the Holuhraun eruption were taken from an altitude of 50-500m at twilight and with the stunning Aurora Borealis in the background

Even though no volcanic ash was detected at the time, authorities took the unusual step of banning all flights in the airspace over the volcano.

It was a move that echoed the Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud disaster which brought European air travel to a standstill for six days in 2010.

More than 100,000 flights across Europe were cancelled when Eyjafjallajokull volcano spat ash some 30,000ft into the air, creating aviation chaos costing an estimated €1.26bn.

Although the feared travel chaos has not materialised, new aerial photographs of the volcano in the Holuhraun lava field show that airlines were right to have been worried.

The dramatic images suggest that Iceland was quite right to ban all flights over the airspace in the area due to safety concerns

Access to the volcano on foot is currently restricted because of the dangerous gases released from the eruption and the risk of flooding due to melting glaciers.

Even though no volcanic ash was initially spotted, authorities took the unusual step of banning all flights in the airspace over the volcano

The Holuhraun eruption has caused frequent earthquakes in the region, but on the plus side it has also created some stunning images

The dramatic pictures of the Holuhraun eruption were taken from an altitude of 50-500m at twilight and with the stunning Aurora Borealis in the background.

Access to the volcano on foot is currently restricted because of the dangerous gases released from the eruption and the risk of flooding due to melting glaciers. The Holuhraun eruption has caused frequent earthquakes in the region.

Bardarbunga is located under Iceland’s largest glacier and it has been rocked by thousands of earthquakes for nearly two weeks. A red warning code indicates that an eruption is imminent or underway, with a risk of ash.

Closing the airspace was a move that echoed the Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud disaster which brought European air travel to a standstill for six days in 2010

There were fears that an eruption could disrupt air travel over Europe, and aviation authorities are still keeping a watchful eye on the situation

Even from a distance evidence of the eruptions could be seen, creating dramatic images for miles around

Bardarbunga is located under Iceland’s largest glacier and it has been rocked by thousands of earthquakes for nearly two weeks

A red warning code is the most severe and indicates that an eruption is imminent or underway, with a risk of ash.

The rumblings at Iceland's largest volcano system, which is covered by a several hundred meters thick glacier, raised worries of a serious eruption

In the early hours of 29 August, a small fissure eruption occurred in the Holuhraun lava field and has moved progressively north