Northern Lights trip after tomato farm gaffe

A woman who mistook the colourful glare from a tomato farm for the Northern Lights has now been to Iceland to experience the real thing.

Dee Harrison, 56, of Ipswich, thought she had seen a mystical aurora in the sky above nearby Bramford in Suffolk before excitedly sharing images of the pink and red glow online.

But all was not as it seemed and social media users soon pointed out the “beautiful” display was actually from Suffolk Sweet Tomatoes’ light units, used to stimulate growth.

Her faux-pas, as first reported by the BBC, went viral and Ms Harrison and her husband have now enjoyed an all-expenses paid trip to Reykjavík see the real Northern Lights.

Mrs Harrison said she initially thought the offer of the trip was a joke.

“I couldn’t believe it was true and I even asked if it was to the Iceland supermarket up the road in Ipswich," she said.

“It's been two weeks since I posted the pictures and it’s just been a whirlwind.”

Mrs Harrison’s aurora mishap in October came after the real Northern Lights were once again spotted across the UK.

They have been particularly visible in 2024 due to the biggest geomagnetic storm since 2003, according to Sean Elvidge, a professor in space environment at the University of Birmingham.

She's now returned to Suffolk and can't quite believe the whirlwind journey she's enjoyed.

“It was fantastic to see the lights for real and I have had so many people say to me that going to see them is actually on their bucket lists,” she added.

“I just feel really blessed to have been given that opportunity and my husband had a fantastic time, too."

The trip was organised by a firm of national opticians.

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