A spectacular comet not seen from Earth for 80,000 years has been spotted over Norfolk.

The C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) comet has been passing through the dark skies over the past fortnight, putting on a show for skygazers.

Although discovered in January last year, astronomers said it would last have been visible when the Neanderthals were alive.

The comet over Burnham Overy Town two weeks agoThe comet over Burnham Overy Town two weeks ago (Image: Christopher Dean) READ MORE: Your photos of the stunning Northern Lights spectacle across Norfolk

Comets are made of dust, ice and small rocky particles and are often described as “dirty snowballs”.

The comet was captured lighting up the night sky in Cley next the Sea on Thursday October 24 by photographer Christopher Dean.

The flying rock can be seen perfectly aligned over the famous windmill, making for an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime shot.

The A3 Comet will start to only be visible with a telescope over the next weekThe A3 Comet will start to only be visible with a telescope over the next week (Image: Christopher Dean) READ MORE: Villagers say they would not mind living by a nuclear power plant

Mr Dean said: "For the Cley windmill shot, I was thrilled, as I’ve seen lots of meteors but my camera is often pointed in the wrong direction.

"It was also the eighteenth anniversary of my dad’s last night on this planet so it’s nice to see it as a little gift from him."

The comet was first seen on September 29 in some countries in the southern hemisphere, but came back into view over the UK around October 14.

Mr Dean captured it then, in an even brighter state, over Burnham Overy Town.