Thousands gather at Stonehenge to mark winter solstice

Crowds gathered at Stonehenge this morning to mark the winter solstice and witness the sunrise after the longest night of the year.

Druids and dancers were among the crowds celebrating the occasion despite the cold - with temperatures barely reaching 6C (42.8F) when the sun rose at 8.05am.

One man was seen drinking mead from an animal horn inside the stone circle while others banged on drums and sang.

The solstice marks the symbolic death and rebirth of the sun, and begins the gradual lengthening of days and shortening of nights.

Michael DeAngelo, who was visiting the historic Wiltshire sight from New Jersey, told the PA news agency: "I don't think anything made me connect more with my humanness than seeing that. And the planet and mankind in general."

Rachel Taylor and her two children, Elliott and Seren, visited Stonehenge from their home in Twyford.

She said: "We saw the most beautiful moon in the clearest sky. We went to touch the stones and feel the energy. We listened to the druids humming and drumming.

"We felt the energy between the stones. To be honest, there was a lot of anger in amongst the humming. We felt privileged to be there."

English Heritage opened the site for those celebrating, with around 5,000 people turning up.

Peter Dewbery attended the celebrations from the Cotswolds.

"It was actually quite an electrifying moment, a cheer went up as the sunrise happened and you could feel an energy from the crowd - it was amazing to be among such a historic moment," he said.

For those living below the equator - where the seasons are opposite to those in the UK - December 22 marks the summer solstice, with the days gradually getting shorter.