Britain has seen its biggest and brightest Moon for 18 years, after its orbit brought it closer to Earth.

Dr Jim O'Donnell, of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, said it was also "higher in the sky than usual".

"The combination of those two very rare circumstances gives us a rather spectacular full Moon," he added.

The best views were in Devon, Cornwall, along the south coast, and the far north of Scotland. Cloud obscured the moon in north England and the Midlands.

Anton Vamplew, of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, told BBC News the Moon had reached "the position where the Sun was during the summer".

It appeared even higher in the sky because "the orbit of the Moon is slightly tilted relative to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun", he added.

In June, the Moon appeared lower in the sky than it had for 20 years, creating the optical illusion that it was larger - when viewed in relation to the horizon.