'Leap second' to pause clocks at midnight as entire planet gains a second

Markets and tech companies braced for glitches as extra second introduced to allow atomic clocks to stay in sync with the Earth's gradually slowing rotation

Time and tide wait for no man, the saying goes. But at midnight GMT on Tuesday clocks will pause momentarily as the entire planet gains a bonus second.

If you happen to be awake, and gazing at the dial on an atomic clock, it will read 23:59:60 before ticking forward to 00.00.00.