Moment meteor sends 'fireball' flying through UK's night sky

• Watch the moment the meteor falls. Credit: Allie Power/Shamalia Baig

Footage has captured the moment a meteor flew above the skies of the UK.

The UK Meteor Network said it received more than 200 reports of sightings from members of the public in the early hours of this morning (May 12).

The meteor was captured across the country, including on a doorbell camera in Clifton, Bristol, and by a resident almost 100 miles away in Slough.

What causes the 'fireball' effect?

As a meteor - a small piece of rock travelling through space - falls to earth, it burns up through our atmosphere creating a fire-like sight.

It can create a spectacular sight and, in some cases, sound.

It is possible to spot the phenomenon at any time of the year, but you stand a better chance during a meteor shower.

The most dramatic of these is the Perseids meteor shower, which at its peak sees around a hundred shooting stars an hour.

According to the Royal Observatory, the best time to see the shower will be on August 12-13 this year.

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