The Door to Hell: fire for more than 40 YEARS

On the edge: Two people stand and look into the burning hole, which has become known as 'The Door to Hell'

Illuminating: The hole in Derweze, Turkmenistan, is 70 metres wide and the flames within light up the sky

Light show: A spectacular view of the flames burning inside the crater in the heart of the Karakum Desert

Dramatic: The raging fire inside the crater has been burning for more than 40 years

Hot: A closer view of the fire inside the hole, which locals have named 'The Door to Hell'

Fiery: The blaze began when geologists decided to burn off natural gas they discovered while drilling at the

Landmark: The bright glow created by the fire can be seen for miles around the village

Shining: The hole looks like a golden oasis in the middle of the desert in Turkmenistan

Long way down: The hole was formed in 1971 when ground beneath a drilling rig collapsed

Spectacle: The hole attracts visitors, more than 40 years after Soviet geologists drilled at the site

Never-ending: Geologists hoped the fire would use all the gas in the hole within days, but it is still burning today