CUMBRIAN skies should shine tonight with sightings of the Northern Lights expected.

Stuart Atkinson, of the Eddington Astronomical Society said the spectacular natural phenomena – also known as the Aurora Borealis – could flash across the county anytime this evening and into the early hours of tomorrow.

Mr Atkinson and society members will be spread out at different locations across Cumbria in the hope they will glimpse the show.

AuroraWatch UK – a research programme operated at Lancaster University – offers a lights alert service via email, Twitter and Facebook (see aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/alerts).