A cinema chain has cancelled all screenings of a film about Islamic history for security reasons following religious protests.

Cineworld has confirmed it has cancelled nationwide screenings of “The Lady of Heaven” after Muslims protested outside cinemas across the UK.

A spokesperson from Cineworld told the National Secular Society: “Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.”

Vue Cinema is also understood to have cancelled showings of the film.