CLOUDS streaked across the skies of West Oxfordshire on Thursday night, with the unusual formation bringing snappers out in their droves.

As twilight turned to darkness, the clouds separated into perfectly formed lines stretching off into the sunset - as captured in this stunning picture from Mark Bentley.

The eerily symmetrical sight led some to suggest aliens were coming, but the Met Office confirmed the formation was caused by a cold front, which has brought the recent cooler temperatures.

A thick layer of cloud headed west along the south coast but divided out further north, creating the picture opportunity for several amateur photographers.

Laura Paterson, chief meteorologist at the Met Office said: “These clouds look like cloud streets.

"They form when the depth of convection or rising air is limited by a stable layer and waves form parallel to the streets when the winds blow across them."