A shocked hiker captured spooky images of what appeared to be a ghostly figure surrounded by a rainbow halo.

Thomas Swallow was hiking in the Lake District when he noticed a strange "spiritual" optical illusion.

Mr Swallow managed to capture on his phone the incredible natural optical illusion known as a broken spectre.

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Mr Swallow, from Manchester, was approaching the end of a 40 mile hike when he climbed over 900m to the summit of the Great End to see the view.

At the top he saw the vision which is actually a rare weather phenomenon.

The colourful apparition is created when a large shadow of an observer is cast onto cloud or mist.

If the sun is shining behind the observer it projects their shadows through the mist.

Since sharing the images online, Mr Swallow's friends and family have said it looks like he captured a spirit floating away into the sky.

Mr Swallow, 39, said: "I was taken aback a little bit. It's really beautiful. It looks like a figure floating into the sky, it looks quite spiritual.

"I was on the summit of a peak called Great End at around lunchtime. It was weird, surreal and a really beautiful moment.

"I was looking down a gully from the summit, the sun was behind me and shining bright.

"It was a cloudy day so the clouds were moving in and out of the summit.

"I could see moisture particles in the air when I looked up and I saw my shadow in the middle of a rainbow.

"I was in the moment and enjoying it thinking I've never seen anything like this before.

"People have said what an amazing and beautiful shot it is and that it looks like a figure floating to the sky.

"I'm not religious but I'm a bit spiritual and I didn't think how spiritual it was until I thought about it afterwards."

After spotting the incredible illusion, Mr Swallow continued his six-hour walk with friends Adam Maxwell, 27, and Mathew Bick, 39, who couldn't believe what they'd seen.

Mr Swallow said: "I shouted to my two friends but they didn't hear so I stood on my own taking pictures.

"They eventually came over and they were amazed as well. It was a really good moment.

"We stood there watching it for 10 to 15 minutes. I'm glad I had my phone on me to take a lot of photos."

Despite being a regular walker in the Lake District, Mr Swallow said he'd never seen the phenomenon before due to there not being the right weather conditions.

He said: "They're quite a rare occurrence, the weather has to be perfect.

"I walk as much as possible and always take pictures. I walk in the Lake District once a month and I've been to Europe and South America hiking so it's a real passion but I've never seen anything like this before.

"Something just happened that day with the weather to make those conditions."

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Hiker spots spooky 'spiritual' illusion in the clouds - Liverpool Echo