The Aurora Borealis, known as The Northern Lights, have been visible across areas of the UK and were seen as far south as Saltburn in Cleveland: "It wasn't really visible to look at, but you could see a smudge in the sky so we knew where to point the camera." Photo: Richard Glover/Michelle Bennett

Further north, near Gairloch in Scotland, Mark Appleton saw the lights shine brightly: "It wasn't as spectacular as the first time I saw them. This was the third time I've seen the lights since we moved up here." Photo: Mark Appleton

David Woodford saw them near St Andrews in Scotland: "I've been out before but this is the first time I've actually seen the Northern Lights. My wife was watching TV, so I thought I would keep popping out to take pictures - it was freezing out." Photo: David Woodford

"I live on a hill to the west of St Andrews, overlooking the Eden Estuary so you see towards Tayside and Dundee. You take the photos in the dark and hope it comes out. You can't even tell if the tripod is level. You can't really tell if it's good until you get home." Photo: David Woodford

Heather McGrath drove up to Holy Island in Northumberland to get her first glimpse of the aurora and admits to "a moment of feeling very insignificant in the universe" as she watched them. Photo: Heather McGrath

"The glow in the distance is Berwick and you could see an amazing cherry red banding around the green," says Heather McGrath, who shed a tear at seeing such a beautiful sight. Photo: Heather McGrath

The phenomenon is caused by charged gas particles flowing away from the sun as a solar wind interacting with the earth's magnetic field. This picture was taken from Cresswell Beach in Northumberland, by Lee Jennings.