Photographer, artist and visual blogger, Helen Smithson, spotted a rare optical phenomenon in Oakham on Wednesday 29th January. Rarer, even, than a High Street parking space, this spectacular 'halo effect' was spotted in central Oakham.

"I rushed home to get my camera but by the time I had the sun was too low and it had disappeared, so I captured it in the town's streets rather than a spectacular landscape view", said Helen Smithson.

Helen recently launched a website, which includes Rutland landscape photography on her visual blog.

According to the BBC, halos are caused by ice crystals in the air that are usually associated with high-altitude cirrus cloud. These crystals reflect sunlight, producing the halo effect.