This was the strange sight over the region yesterday, with sky-gazers left scratching their heads.

Twitter user @MikeMacaroon shared this image, taken from Tong Street, Walsall.

While another user shared this image:

There were even reports of the phenomenon being seen as far away as Leicestershire.

The colourful pattern got Twitter wags talking, with some suggesting it was the start of an alien invasion.

Others with cooler heads suggested it was a phenomenon known as cloud iridescence.

The BBC reported that the clouds were known nacreous - otherwise known as mother-of-pearl.

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