Lorna Gordon reports from Iceland as the coastguard releases new footage
A new ash cloud spreading towards the UK is causing uncertainty over plans to reopen some airspace on Tuesday, air traffic control body Nats has said.
Earlier, it said the flight ban would be lifted over Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.
But Nats said there was now a worsening situation in some areas. The outlook for Northern Ireland is most uncertain.
Scottish airports are still expected to reopen from 0700 BST, but Nats said it would report again at 0300.
A further update will be made at 0900 BST on Tuesday.
Nats said more airspace over England was expected to become available from 1300 BST although not as far south as London's main airports.
'Dynamic conditions'
In a statement, Nats said: "The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK.
"This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working."
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It said it expected the situation to change overnight, and emphasised it was in regular contact with the Met Office and the UK's safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.
It added: "We are working closely with government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions."
In a statement released shortly before Nats', the Met Office said: "Eruptions from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano are weaker than they were at the weekend but eruptions still take ash over 10,000ft at times.
"Weather patterns continue to blow areas of ash towards the UK.
"As the volcanic activity changes, there may be some clearance of ash at times, over parts of the UK."
Troops delayed
The spread of volcanic ash has affected large swathes of Europe for the past five days. The event has caused huge disruption for air travellers, many of whom have embarked on long journeys over land and sea to get home.
Gordon Brown said Royal Navy ships would be deployed to bring home some of the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad, including British troops heading home from Afghanistan.
The UK government's emergency committee, Cobra, met twice on Monday and plans to meet again on Tuesday.
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After the second meeting a No 10 spokesman said the committee agreed the government should "continue to do whatever it can" to return stranded Britons to the UK.
Earlier, British Airways announced it would try to resume some flights from London airports on Tuesday evening, but in light of the new Nats statement it said it was "reviewing" its schedule.
Manchester Airport said it was sticking to plans to open at 0900 BST on Tuesday, but will monitor Nats reports.
The EU has now moved to ease air travel curbs with transport ministers saying there would be a core no-fly area, an open-skies area and a third limited-service zone.
Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears particles in the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano could cause engines to shut down.
Air travellers, due to fly into reopened airspace, are being advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
In other developments on Monday:
* British Airways says it has asked the European Union and the government for financial compensation for the closure of airspace
* Eurostar says it has 30,000 standard class seats available from Tuesday to Sunday for £89 one-way and it plans to run at least 28 additional trains
* Celebrations on a brand new £500m cruise ship have been put on hold to rescue about 2,000 British tourists stranded in Spain. Luxury vessel Celebrity Eclipse is due to leave Southampton for Bilbao on Wednesday evening, returning on Friday
* Germany's aviation authority has granted Lufthansa permission to fly 50 planes back to Germany
* School exam timetables could be readjusted to help pupils stranded overseas by flight cancellations, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications
* The Europa League semi-final ties involving Liverpool and Fulham on Thursday will provisionally go ahead
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