Heavens above! Midlanders behold stunning 'angel cloud'

Thousands of residents were left in awe when they spotted this beautiful angel-shaped cloud formation above their homes.

The heavenly image appeared appropriately on Sunday morning – which was so large it could be seen from over 30 miles away.

The angel-like figure is believed to have been caused by a plane’s vapour trail disturbing the static clouds as it passed overhead.

Eagle-eyed electrician Michael Robinson, 49, spotted the celestial cloud when he looked out of his bedroom window in Ironville, Nottingham, at 7.30am on Sunday.

He said: “I was stunned to say the least, I drew back the curtains and there was this incredible angel shaped cloud hovering in the sky.

“I rushed out with my camera and took some pictures – the rest of the sky was covered in streaks of white cloud but in the middle was this image.

“I chatted to some friends who had also seen it from a different angle and they said it looked more like a mushroom cloud but I prefer to think it was an angel.”

Retired lecturer Michael Meachem, 66, also saw the “angel” from his home 30 miles away in Breaston, Derbys.

He said: "I didn't know what it was to be honest. I thought it was an apparition from beyond.

"It was 7.30am on Sunday morning. I was up early because the wife was going out.

"I looked up to the sky as you do and saw it and thought 'I've never seen anything like it before'.

"So I thought I'd take a picture. I had no idea what it was or why it was like it."

Weather experts believe the shape was caused by a “fall streak hole” or “hole punch cloud”.

Mark Seltzer, national forecaster at the Met Office, said: "It's quite a complicated process.

"They form in super-cool clouds which are in between the state of freezing and frozen.

"All it takes is something like a plane to go through the clouds to disturb it which causes a chain reaction.

"It changes the particles to ice crystals and as they change they absorb the moisture which leaves the hole in the middle of the cloud.

"The streak is created when the ice crystals fall because they are heavier.

"It can look like an angel in the sky. It can take half an hour to develop but it looks spectacular."