I saw the earth explode: How a photographer shooting outdoor clothing camped on Iceland’s volcano – and witnessed the eruption that closed Europe...

It was a ferocious volcanic eruption that belched out tons of white-hot molten rock, sent a billowing plume of ash miles into the sky – and would lead to chaos in the airports of northern Europe.



And these astonishing pictures, taken by British freelance photographer John Beatty, record the spectacular events which took place at the now-infamous Eyjafjallajoekull (Island-Mountain-Glacier) volcano in Iceland, and which have had such a dramatic aftermath.



Mr Beatty, 58, happened to be in Iceland’s glacier fields on an assignment to take pictures for an outdoor clothing company when he found himself at the centre of the awe-inspiring natural phenomenon.

The big bang: A breathtaking view of the Icelandic volcano in full flow

Close encounter: The lights inside the tent used by John Beatty and guide Jon Magnussen on the glacier are no match for the dramatic display from the smouldering volcano that is just half a mile away

Lava fountain: Sprays of white-hot molten rock are hurled hundreds of feet into the air from the two-mile-wide crater, where the temperature is 1,000C. This picture was taken from 500ft away

‘Being that close was frightening but an incredible experience,’ he said. ‘I specialise in photographing wild, natural places. But an active volcano is one of the rarest and finest sights in the natural world. There were scarlet, yellow and pink pools with pulsating lava being hurled 500ft into the air and the volcano was showering rock across the surrounding ash and ice.



‘When I was close to the lava I got a sharp, foul taste at the back of my mouth, which told me the air was poisonous. We stayed close for only ten minutes at a time; any longer and we could have collapsed from lack of oxygen.’



Mr Beatty stayed 500ft from the fissures while the lava was flowing. But at one point he was able to get within 10ft of the lava when it cooled after a small earthquake temporarily closed the fissures.

'Frightening but incredible': John Beatty on the glacier

The volcano first erupted on March 20. Mr Beatty, who was in Iceland with glacier guide Jon Magnussen, took his amazing pictures between April 4 and 12.



He left Iceland last Wednesday– on what would turn out to be oneof the very last flights out. Just 24 hours later the volcano sent up a 20,000ft-high cloud of ash, which drifted south and has now forced all British and many European airports to close.

Hot as Hades: A spectacular and terrifying view of the volcano in action with magma bubbling and boiling as it breaks through the Earth's crust

Fire and ice: As the lava cools on the ice plain, Mr Beatty, shrouded in smoke and steam, picks his way through the rock and ash. He couldn't spend very long there but the heat was still enough to melt his boots

Scientists believe the volcano may erupt again in the coming months.