Solar eclipse live updates: Huge queues form in last-minute scramble for glasses as UK braces for pandemonium and spate of accidents

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER Updated: 15:57, 12 August 2026 Eclipse mania has gripped the nation, with Britons forming huge queues in a last-minute scramble for glasses to watch the best solar eclipse in a generation.  Starting from shortly after 18:00 BST, the shadow of the moon will slowly slide across the sun until it covers up to 96 per cent of the surface. To make this all the more spectacular, clear skies are expected across most of the country.  However, the UK is braced for pandemonium and a spate of traffic accidents as the solar eclipse distracts drivers across the country.  If you miss tonight's spectacle, the next chance to see an eclipse this deep won't come to the UK until 2050, and you'll have to wait until 2090 for the next totality. While millions are getting ready to see the best eclipse since 1999, many eager astronomers face missing out due to a shortage of eclipse glasses. Around the country, massive queues have formed outside corner shops, toy stores, and museums in a last-ditch rush to get the glasses in time. Hundreds of people were seen lining up this morning outside Royal Museum Greenwich, one of the few locations where the protective eclipse viewers could still be bought. However, the museum and observatory have now had to post a sign outside warning would-be sungazers that they are completely sold out. Dozens of videos shared on TikTok show shoppers forming lengthy lines outside corner shops in London, with some stretching for hundreds of metres. The clips show crowds patiently waiting for up to three hours to purchase the glasses, which are essential to be able to safely watch the ‘best-in-a-lifetime’ event. In one video, a car pulls up to a shop in Whitechapel, allegedly delivering an extra 10,000 pairs of glasses that had just landed at Heathrow. The exact timing of the eclipse will vary based on your location, but things should kick off shortly after 18:00 BST today. Maximum coverage, reaching up to 96 per cent in some areas, will occur roughly an hour later. Northern Scotland will get the first glimpse of the eclipse, starting in Glasgow at 18:08 BST, with more southern areas following after. Experts have warned that pointing an unprotected phone camera at the sun for an extended period can cause damage. Jez Samuel, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, says: ‘Your phone screen is safe to look at throughout Wednesday's eclipse – it's the camera lens that needs protecting. Point an unfiltered lens at the sun, and you risk burning out the sensor, just as looking with the naked eye risks your vision. ‘A phone camera lens focuses sunlight into an intense point on the sensor behind it, and enough unfiltered exposure will kill pixels permanently. ‘From then on, every shot carries the same dark marks.’ He warned repairs typically range from around £49 for a camera glass replacement to over £250 for a full module swap, depending on the phone. ‘The fix is simple, as long as you don't zoom in,’ he explained. ‘Hold your eclipse glasses in front of the camera lens. ‘Zooming concentrates sunlight the same way a telescope does, and that can burn straight through glasses never designed for it. For zoomed shots, use a dedicated clip-on solar filter instead. ‘If you're planning to photograph or film Wednesday's eclipse, it's also worth making sure your phone has enough battery and storage, so you're not caught out halfway through.’ Anyone driving during the eclipse is being told to take extra precautions and be prepared to turn on their headlights. The RAC said the action might be necessary for vehicles which do not have automatic lights, to boost their visibility to other road users. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'While total darkness is unlikely, those with vehicles that don't have automatic headlights or daylight running lights may need to switch on their dipped beams to ensure they are easily visible to other road users. 'The best advice to enjoy this rare event is to pull over somewhere safe and watch with specialist glasses.' Mr Williams urged anyone driving in a westerly direction around the time of the eclipse to avoid being distracted. He said: 'Taking your eyes off the road even for a split second to try to catch a glimpse of the sun as it disappears behind the moon increases the risk of being involved in a collision, not to mention the potential for suffering long-term damage to your vision.' Britons are being warned not to swim in the sea during tonight's eclipse. The warning from the RNLI’s Jersey lifeboat station said it will not be safe to swim off Britain’s coastline due to strong tides. Solar eclipses always coincide with a new moon, meaning tides are at their strongest. When the moon's gravity pulls at Earth, water gets pushed and squeezed around on the globe, directed by both gravitational pull and other forces, until it ends up bulging outwards on the side closest to the Moon and the side farthest away. This is why high tide hits twice a day. Tides are particularly dangerous during a new moon because the gravitational pull of both the moon and the sun align, meaning a stronger force known as a 'spring tide'. This is seen in higher tides as well as a greater difference between low and high tides than the rest of the month. Higher tides make swimming in the ocean much more dangerous as they can cause stronger currents – although the strongest currents do not generally occur at high tide itself. Hello, and welcome to the Daily Mail's solar eclipse live blog! We'll be bringing you all the updates and keeping you informed with everything you need to know during tonight's spectacular event. First contact in the UK isn't expected to start until just after 18:00 BST, so keep reading to find out the best times and locations to see the eclipse where you are. Revealed: The weirdest things that will happen during tonight's solar eclipse - from animals falling silent to a spike in traffic accidents