Cineworld is set to temporarily close its UK cinemas in the coming weeks.

Axar.az reports that as first reported in the Sunday Times, the firm is writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to say the industry is now "unviable".

The firm says it has been hit by delays in the release of big-budget films, putting 5,500 jobs at risk.

The premiere of the 007 film No Time To Die has been postponed twice and is now due for release in April 2021.

It is hoped that the Cineworld cinemas will be able to reopen next year, with staff being asked to accept redundancy in the hope of rejoining the company when theatres open again.

The head of the UK Cinema Association said he feared the Cineworld closure was "indicative of challenges faced by the entire UK cinema industry at the moment".

Phil Clapp said: "Although cinemas opened in July and have been able to deliver a safe and enjoyable experience, without major new titles then we understand we aren't able to get as many people out of the home as we'd like."

He said no-one would be "untouched by the current challenges".