THE LONGEST day was welcomed with beautiful harp playing on Selsley Common at dawn this morning.

At daybreak, harpist Morwenna Louttit-Vermaat from Hands on Harps and storyteller Josie Felce from Story Magic, both from Stroud, welcome the rising of the midsummer solstice sun with string music as it burns red and orange over Selsley Common.

These stunning pictures were taken by Stroud freelance photographer Simon Pizzey.

Meanwhile, approximately 13,000 people descended on Stonehenge to watch the sun rise at 4.52am – up from 12,000 last year.

More than a million people flock to Stonehenge every year, with thousands attending ceremonies to mark the solstices in summer and winter.

To contact the photographer Simon Pizzey call 07718152169