Cineworld has secured a £336 million debt lifeline to help guide the troubled cinema chain through the coronavirus pandemic.

The group, which has temporarily closed its UK sites, including in Astley Bridge, said it has also secured access to another £233 million in liquidity to boost its finances.

Last month, Cineworld shut the doors to 633 of its cinemas, leaving as many as 45,000 workers unemployed for the foreseeable future.

It was one of a raft of cinema chains to be affected by the pandemic, as film studios push back the release dates of major new movies, including the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, to 2021.

Mooky Greidinger, chief executive of Cineworld, said: “Over the long term, the operational improvements we have put in place since the start of the pandemic will further enhance Cineworld’s profitability and resilience.

“The group continues to monitor developments in the relevant markets in which we operate and our entire team is focused on managing our cost base.

“We look forward to resuming our operations and welcoming movie fans around the world back to the big screen for an exciting and full slate of films in 2021.”