An “unusual” formation of bumpy clouds was spotted over the Kent skyline glowing a vibrant red at sunset.

The phenomenon was captured stretching across the county from Whitstable, Seasalter and Herne Bay to Ashford, Faversham and Canterbury last night.

Residents across the towns shared pictures of the formation, with many suggesting they could be mammatus clouds.

According to the Met Office, mammatus clouds are some of the most unusual and distinctive formations with a series of bulges or pouches emerging from the base.

They usually form in association with large cumulonimbus clouds, more commonly known as thunderclouds, which extend high into the sky in towers or plumes.

John Vincent, of Sandgate, said: “They were incredibly striking, I’ve not seen these in the year I’ve lived here.

“I was driving along the coast from Sandgate towards Hythe and there was this huge downpour from exceptionally dark clouds.

“Moments later the sun was beaming down, the glare from the road made it very tricky to drive – we needed to drive half the speed limit.

“About three rainbows could be seen hanging over the channel and it wasn't long afterwards these cloud formations briefly appeared.”

Typically, turbulence within the cumulonimbus cloud will cause mammatus shape to form.

The sunset glowing through the clouds sent them a vibrant red and orange colour.

Sally Pepper, who saw the clouds over Whitstable, said: “It was amazing to see. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

One Facebook user said she saw something similar in Margate and described the clouds as “fascinating”.

After explaining how they are formed, another commenter said the clouds were “very pretty and not seen super often”.

“One of my favourite cloud types,” she added.

Another commenter described them as “so weird but pretty cool”.

A rainbow was spotted protruding through the bottom of the formation in Seasalter.