A volcano erupted just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Iceland's capital Reykjavik on Friday, with red lava spewing out of the ground and a crimson glow lighting up the night sky.

Streams of red lava could be seen flowing out of a fissure in the ground in Geldingadalur, close to Mount Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwestern Iceland, in footage filmed by a coast guard helicopter.