Panic at the Apollo: London bus is commandeered to take injured theatregoers to hospital as 88 are hurt after balcony collapses 'like an avalanche' at West End show following massive thunderstorm

Dozens of theatre-goers were injured last night when part of a balcony collapsed during a performance at a major West End theatre in chaotic scenes described as being 'like an avalanche'.

Police said seven people were seriously injured and there were 81 walking wounded following the incident which happened at about 8.15pm inside the packed 112-year-old Apollo Theatre in London.

Masonry from the Grade II-listed theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue plummeted into the stalls below, striking members of the 720-strong audience and filling the theatre with clouds of thick dus

A capacity audience was inside the theatre, which was 45 minutes into the National Theatre's performance of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time.

Audience members then started screaming as parts of the ceiling appeared to cave in, with some eyewitnesses hearing a loud ‘creaking’ which some initially thought was part of the show.