A strange orange glow filled the skies above south west London today.

The phenomenon was captured by well-known local photographer and weather watcher, Ruth Wadey, who posted images on social media.

The Met Office seized on the pictures to confirm they were the result of Saharan dust transported thousands of miles from north Africa.

A spokesman said: "As in other parts of the world, the wind can blow strongly over deserts - whipping up dust and sand high into the sky. If the winds in the upper part of the atmosphere are blowing north, the dust can be carried as far as the UK.

"Once it is lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles."

The same cloud of dust was seen across Portugal, France, Germany and Spain before it was 'washed' out of the skies above southern England today, leaving a red film on many cars.

Dr Andy Whittamore, the clinical lead at Asthma UK, has previously warned of the risks posed by Saharan dust.

He said: "Saharan dust could pose a serious risk to the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma.

"Dust and other types of air pollution are a well-known trigger for people with asthma.

"People with asthma must make sure they carry their reliever inhaler (usually blue) with them at all times in case their symptoms worsen.

"We also advise people with asthma to continue to manage their condition with their preventer inhaler (usually brown) as this will help to reduce the inflammation in their airways and make them less likely to react to asthma triggers."