A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, blocking some or all of the sun’s rays from reaching the Earth.

The phenomenon is a cosmic event, requiring the sun, the moon and the Earth to be in just the right alignment for the moon to cast a shadow on our planet.

Evan said: “One year ago I found on the internet there was a solar eclipse on my birthday in the town that bears my name, Evansville, in America, and I thought that was such a coincidence that it could not possibly happen to anybody.

“So I forgot about it for a year ironically and then in January I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and I thought ‘God I have got to write this down’ and so I have been pestering [mum] for the last couple of weeks.

“I was amazed to see we have actually come,” he said.

His mum, Cathrin Edwards, said: “After quite a difficult time over the last year we thought it would be a major adventure to come somewhere like Evansville on this day.”