Winter solstice marked by magical Stonehenge sunrise celebrations

Thousands of people gathered to mark the winter solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire early on Sunday morning (21 December). Crowds flocked to the UNESCO World Heritage site on Salisbury Plain to watch the sun rise on the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice is celebrated each year with spiritual rituals, singing, dancing and music. Attendees often travel from across the UK and abroad, with some dressed in traditional pagan clothing, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the sun through the prehistoric stones.