GREY, damp and cloudy describes the view of the sky in Bolton this evening where the solar eclipse took place.

The phenomenon, which was expected to take place for approximately 40 minutes, saw the moon take a bite out of the sun. This is when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, creating an illusion that the moon is passing directly in front of the sun.

The eclipse peaked in the UK between 7.58pm and 8.04pm, however only people in south-west England and South Wales were expected to have any chance of witnessing the event due to the gloomy weather.

Most dramatic in the United States, the eclipse submerged parts of the America into complete darkness for approximately two minutes, visible in a 70 mile wide, 2,500 mile long area, captivating one of the biggest audiences in human history.

This is the first time that a total eclipse has been visible anywhere in the US since 1979.

Were you able to see any more of the eclipse?