A hazy orange glow which appeared in the night sky was caused by a combination of foggy weather and grass growing lights at Watford Football Club, it has been revealed.

Neighbours living near the Vicarage Road ground reported seeing a sickly fluorescent hue on a number of nights this week, with one saying he thought the light must have been coming from a large fire burning nearby.

“I was coming home late at night down the link road and at first I thought it was a big fire,” said Neal Street resident Wayne Erratt.

“Since then the lights have been on a few more times and have been so bright we’ve had to buy blackout curtains – the whole bedroom has been lit up.

“We all follow Watford Football Club and don’t want to do anything to upset them but the lights are making it look like daylight outside at night.”

The lights are utilised to stimulate grass growth at the Premier League ground when the air temperature falls below a certain level.

However Vicarage ward councillor Mo Mills said the club should be more considerate to people living in the area.

She said: “People just don’t like it. I can understand it gives people jobs but the club should understand that people live here and we should be considered too.

“A lot of them are Watford supporters and want the club to do well but it’s light pollution and could be seen as far away as Oxhey.

“I’ve lived here for 49 years and I’ve never seen anything like it. I could see the whole of my garden and the birds were singing all night.

“At this rate my lawn will get so high they will have to cut the grass for me.”

Watford FC’s operations director Glyn Evans said the lamps have been used “constantly” for the past 12 months and that the glow only occurs in foggy weather when water particles in the air refract the reflected light.

“We need to use the lights to maintain a Premier League standard pitch,” he added.  

Elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “Watford Football Club is aware of the problem being caused by the lights, and council officers have met with them to discuss the issue. The club is looking at lighting options and designs, and we ask you to bear with them.”