MORE than 200 children were left heartbroken when a showing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was cut short by a power cut.

Some of the 206 youngsters were close to tears after the blackout at the UGC Cinema in West Swindon.

It is understood that contractors working nearby for developers Bryant Homes had accidentally sliced through a power cable, cutting off power to the cinema and some 4,000 other customers.

The cinema says the children, from Carterton Primary School in Oxfordshire, can go back for another showing, but that would mean having to raise £570 in coach hire fees.

Carterton headteacher Mike Curtis said: "The children were very upset, and one or two of them were almost tearful.

"The power cut happened about half way through the film. We were at a special showing on Friday morning, before it opened to the public.

"Even though the power cut wasn't the cinema's fault, it has offered to let us come back and see the film again.

"But the coaches to West Swindon cost £560, and we can't afford to pay that again."

Mr Curtis added that power firm Southern Electric denied liability because an outside contractor had cut the cable.

Southern Electric spokesman Julian Reeves confirmed that the company considered itself blameless.

Bryant Homes spokeswoman Rachel Morgan said that no complaint about the matter had been received. She added that an investigation was already under way.