Eerie new photos from inside the 'Cavern of Lost Souls' reveal the mountain of abandoned cars still untouched years after they were first uncovered.

Electrician and photographer Gareth Owen made the journey earlier this month through darkness inside the disused mine, which closed in the 1960s and is around 200ft beneath Ceredigion, Wales.

He was stunned at the sight of the pile of vehicles stacked upon each other above the still blue water with a Ford Cortina balanced on the top.

The waterfall-like formation can be seen lit up by a beam of light.

Despite the surprising beauty of the images, Gareth, 30, was also shocked by the stash in the 'unrecognisable rubbish tip'.

A beam of light illuminated a Ford Cortina (
Image:
Gareth Owen/Kennedy News)
Inside the Cavern of Lost Souls (
Image:
Gareth Owen/Kennedy News)

He claimed it was a bittersweet sight that reminded him of the impact rubbish had on the natural environment.

Gareth, who is from Llanberis in North Wales, said: "Once your eyes adjust to the sudden beam of light you realise the sheer scale of the place.

There are hundreds of cars on top of each other.

"They are mostly unrecognisable by now but then front and center of the pile is a Ford Cortina - it was the only real colour on the pile.

"I guess being so used to photographing the natural landscapes and their beauty, photographing this spot was bittersweet for me.

"As eye-catching as it is, at the end of the day it is a rubbish tip from a time when the environment was not in the forefront of our minds.

Gareth Owen during his expedition through darkness into the disused mine (
Image:
Gareth Owen/Kennedy News)
The mine closed in the 1960s (
Image:
Gareth Owen/Kennedy News)

"But it is also a great reminder of how far we have come as a country to doing what we can to protect nature from now into the future. "

He added: "The reaction to the photo itself has been immensely positive.

"But the subject matter has had a mixed response with some people not quite happy about the fact these cars were dumped underground and others seeing beauty in the carnage.

"I have done a number of underground explorations including natural caverns to old mines.

He says the sight was 'bittersweet' (
Image:
Gareth Owen/Kennedy News)

"I really enjoy exploring the unknown beneath our feet, so having seen an image online I went on a hunt for the 'Cavern of the Lost Souls', as it is known.

"The pleasures I get from exploring underground are amazing and it's amazing to think what is right under our feet."