There is a “decent chance” the aurora borealis will be visible across much of the UK on in the coming days, the Met Office has said.

Heighted solar activity could lead to the Northern Lights being visible further south than usual, with sightings possible with the naked eye.

Although the Met Office cautioned that solar forecasts can change rapidly, and factors such as cloud cover and light pollution will impact visibility.

But those lucky enough to have clear and dark skies could be rewarded “with a rare and memorable display”.

BBC Weather said the lights, formally known as the aurora borealis, would be visible across much of England and Wales away from western coasts.

As is usually the case, Northern Ireland and north east Scotland would have the best chance for clear spells of viewing, it said.

It also advised the public to head away from city lights for the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights and that if the lights were not visible – another way to potentially see them was to use a smartphone on night mode.

The Met Office forecasts that while there will be lots of cloud cover throughout the evening, the Midlands will be most likely to have clear skies, making it potentially one of the best place in the UK for a sighting.

Monday night could offer the best chance for a sighting, but the lights should still be visible throughout Tuesday night.

By Wednesday night no significant solar activity is currently expected, meaning less chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

“There’s a decent chance of seeing the aurora tonight [Monday] – it may be visible as far south as the Midlands (perhaps even further south)”, the Met Office said on social media site X.

The Northern Lights are caused by solar winds carrying charged particles interacting with the earth’s magnetic field.

The heightened chance of a UK sighting has been caused by a fast-moving coronal mass ejection, which is a “release of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona”, late on Saturday night.

Met Office space weather manager, Krista Hammond, said: “As we monitor the arrival of this coronal mass ejection, there is a real possibility of aurora sightings further south than usual on Monday night.

“While the best views are likely further north, anyone with clear, dark skies should keep an eye out.

“Forecasts can change rapidly, so we encourage the public to stay updated with the latest information.”