This is the spectacular moment a photographer struck gold by capturing a bolt of lightning cracking through a rainbow during a freak weather display.
The extraordinary sight was snapped by amateur photographer Robert Bass who was taking pictures on his iPhone in his back garden in Wellington, Shrops., as a storm rumbled overhead.
But Mr Bass, 48, was shocked when he pictured the breath-taking moment a streak of lightning appeared to pierce the arc of the rainbow.
Mr Bass, who took the picture on Friday night, said: “I’m a complete amateur and this was just taken off my phone.
“I could hear the thunder so I thought I’d take a picture of the rainbow.
“I could see lightning sometimes but I was just concentrating on the rainbow.
“Capturing both was a complete fluke and suppose it will be the best I’ll ever take.
“I’ve got a mate who lives in Wolverhampton, who is a very keen photographer.
“He went through more than 200 shots over two hours but he didn’t get anything.”
Violent thunderstorms swept the UK over the weekend as the recent warm spell came to an abrupt end.
More than an inch of rain was forecast
as a deep low pressure crossed over large swathes of the country.
Weather forecasters were warning that this week would feel more like autumn with temperatures in the rain dropping to just 16C (57F).
But it will warm up again towards the end of week with temperatures back in the low 70s and less rain around.