Eclipse watchers warned of poor visibility

People hoping to glimpse a solar eclipse today are likely to be disappointed, as clouds are "almost certain" to be covering the UK, with north-east Scotland the best place to see it.

However, the government's interim Chief Medical Officer warned it could cause permanent damage to the eyes of those who look at it directly, if the clouds break.

People may risk blindness if they watch the Moon passing between the Sun and the Earth between 8am and 9:30am.

Dame Sally Davies called on parents to make sure their children understood the dangers.

She said: "Children are particularly vulnerable as they may be tempted to take a peek. We would urge parents to explain the danger to their children.

"We would not wish to see another case like the young boy who lost his central vision back in October 2005 through looking directly at a partial eclipse."

The chances of clear skies are unlikely, though. Daniel Adamson, a MeteoGroup forecaster, said: "The most likely place to have clear breaks is going to be north-east Scotland, but nowhere is going to be clear."