ASTRONOMERS were left disappointed yesterday when thick cloud hid a partial eclipse of the sun.

Enthusiasts gathered all over the North-East and North Yorkshire to view the eclipse, but were unable to see it.

In York, two re-enactment Vikings visited the observatory, in Museum Gardens, to watch the event.

Vikings believed that the eclipse was a giant wolf trying to eat the sun and would bang drums, scream and shout to scare the wolf away.

Yesterday, the modern-day Vikings tried out the custom for themselves.

Martin Lunn, curator of astronomy for York Museums Trust, said: "The Vikings believed that if they didn't do this, then everything would go dark and the world would end.

"We thought we'd try it out to see if it still works - it looks as though it did, because we are still here."

He said the thick cloud was very frustrating.

"It is kind of typical of the British weather," he said. "When you keep your fingers crossed that it will be clear, it isn't.

"A lot of people will be quite upset that they weren't able to see it."