A "one night wonder" could see the Northern Lights return to the skies this weekend. 

The aurora borealis has been spotted over the county throughout the week with stunning images captured in Saltburn, Whitley Bay, Hartlepool, Teesdale and Bamburgh, among others. 

The Northern Lights are typically seen nearer to the Arctic Circle in locations such as Norway and Iceland and it is rare to see them in the UK. 

They are caused by particles from the sun entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. 

The Met Office has confirmed that it is possible the phenomenon will be visible again in the North East on Saturday night. 

The Northern Echo: The northern lights and STEVE captured over BamburghThe northern lights and STEVE captured over Bamburgh (Image: PA)

A spokesman said: "The chances are good but there is some uncertainty as often we don't know it's going to happen until it's already happening. 

"It is possible we will have a one night wonder."

They added that the phenomenon will only be observable through cameras and not to the naked eye. 

The best areas to observe the phenomenon are those with a north-facing horizon and lower light pollution at times when the sky is clear of clouds and rain. 

The forecast for the county on Saturday night is mostly dry with some mist and fog.