Dozens of people were evacuated from a cinema when it was struck by a lightning bolt that caused movie screens to cut out this afternoon.

London Fire Brigade was called to Cineworld, in Southbury Road, Enfield, at 4.45pm when lightning struck the theatre as an electrical storm passed overhead.

Fire alarms were set off by the surge, though it remains unclear whether a fire was actually started by the lightning strike.

Dozens of movie-goers had sat down to watch the latest X-Men movie ‘Days of Future Past’ when the screens cut out and alarms began to sound.

Some movie-lovers took to Twitter to express their disbelief at the freak incident.

One Twitter user, who goes by the name of The Grace Gatsby, wrote: “All action taking place off screen today at Cineworld Enfield, struck by lightning! Unfortunately no X-Men - booked afternoon off especially.”