But the 40-year-old proved so elusive that it would have taken Sherlock Holmes to find him.

The Oscar-nominated star was filming in the grounds of the Royal Pavilion for The Current War, in which he takes on the role of American inventor Thomas Edison.

Bemused onlookers in the Pavilion Gardens spotted plenty of extras as well as llamas and zebras.

But unfortunately no Cumberbatch.

The gardens were being used for the recreation of the 1893 Chicago World Fair, which became a battleground for Edison and George Westinghouse as they fought to win the contract to light the fairground at night.

Carly Scott, of Lancing, was hoping to get a sneak glimpse of the Sherlock actor.

The 33-year-old said: “I like everything he does. The characters he portrays capture you and that’s why he is such a fascinating person.”

The biographical film charts the competition between electricity titans Edison and Westinghouse in their bid to provide electricity for the country. Former Skins and X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult also appears in the star-studded cast.

Executive producer Ann Ruark said: “The Royal Pavilion has given us the ideal setting to recreate the 1893 Chicago World Fair.

“We are truly grateful to Brighton and Hove City Council for being so accommodating and welcoming us to the city.”

Councillor Alan Robins, chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council’s economic development and culture committee, said: “We’re pleased to welcome the filming team for The Current War to the Royal Pavilion this week and look forward to seeing the upcoming film when it’s released.

“Brighton and Hove is a fantastic location and has been the setting for many film and television shows.

“We’re always keen to explore opportunities to showcase the city to audiences around the world in this way.

“With 10 million visitors each year, we are a popular destination and seeing local iconic views on screen helps promote the city.”

The Pavilion will re-open on Saturday.

The Current War is due for release later this year.