The UK will witness its fullest solar eclipse since 1999 on Wednesday evening, with the whole country experiencing the event and up to 96% of the Sun's disc obscured by the Moon in some areas. Experts describe it as the best eclipse the UK will see for the next 50 years, while parts of Europe including northern Spain, Russia, Greenland, Iceland and Portugal will witness a full total eclipse, drawing large crowds of enthusiasts.

The peak will occur between 18:58 and 19:15 BST in the UK, with Devon, Cornwall and western Pembrokeshire seeing the greatest coverage at 94-96%, while other regions including Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of the West Midlands and Scotland will see 92-94%. Weather looks set to be mixed, with clear skies expected across much of the UK but cloud and possible rain in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. In Spain, where roughly half a million visitors have gathered, totality will last around 100 seconds, with the next comparable UK eclipse not due until 2081.