Hundreds of people queued outside the Specsavers store on Halsall Lane in Formby, Merseyside, to buy solar eclipse glasses ahead of this evening's partial solar eclipse. The glasses sold out at around 11.15am after 200 to 300 people had queued, with a sign on the door reading: "Sold out. Sorry for any inconvenience."
Eclipse expected to cover more than 90% of the Sun
The UK is set to see a partial solar eclipse this evening (August 12), with the most coverage seen from the UK and Ireland since the 1999 eclipse. The last solar eclipse visible from the UK was in March 2025, when only around 30-40% of the Sun was covered. This time, more than 90% of the Sun will be obscured, causing the sky to darken as the Moon blocks out the sunlight. The phenomenon is expected to commence at approximately 6pm and conclude at around 8pm.
Glasses sold out across the UK
An ECHO reader shared pictures of the queue outside the Formby store, where shoppers had queued since 9am. When the ECHO arrived at around 12pm, the glasses had sold out. One woman told the team that the whole town had been busier this morning because of the glasses, saying "all the car parks were full". Another said: "we saw the queues and by the time we knew what was happening they'd all sold out". Major retailers across the UK have also sold out of glasses.
Safety advice for viewing the eclipse
Looking directly at the solar eclipse can cause permanent eye damage, which is why experts advise using solar eclipse glasses or indirect viewing methods. Government advice said: "It's a rare and exciting event that many people will be keen to watch. But looking directly at the Sun without the right protection can cause permanent damage to your eyesight." The reduced brightness can override the body's natural reflex to look away, allowing intense sunlight to reach and damage the retina. This damage happens without causing any pain, so you may not realise harm is occurring until it's too late.
