BY:FLORA LYIMO ~BREAKING NEWS ' THEATRE BALCONY COLLAPSED IN LONDON ''MJENGO MWINGINE WA ZAMANI WAANGUKIA WATU NA LONDON BUS LATUMIKA KUPELEKA WALOUMIA HOSPITAL '' MAJENGO YA ZAMANI IN LONDON YANAOGOPESHAJE SASA'RUWA MANGI''

Casualties: Injured people are seen on a bus near the scene of a collapse at the Apollo Theatre in London''

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 dust.

Helping hand: A bandaged man comforts a woman following the collapse at the Apollo Theatre''

Injuries: A woman stands bandaged and wearing a blanket from the emergency services in Central London''

Keeping warm: A man wraps himself in an emergency blanket provided by rescue services after the incident''

Makeshift ambulance: Shocked and injured theatergoers are transported to hospital in a commandeered London bus following an incident during a performance at the Apollo Theatre''

Rescue effort: Emergency services attending the scene at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue''

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.

Aid: Paramedics attend to an injured person at the scene at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue''

Discussions: Rescue services at the scene of an apparent balcony collapse at the Apollo Theatre in London''

Discussions; Firemen confer at the scene after the incident at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue''

Emergency response: The London Fire Brigade said the theatre was almost full, with 'around 700 people' watching the performance''

On location: Walking wounded were taken from the scene in ambulances as a team of firefighters rushed through the front stage door in Archer Street.

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