ABBA fans were left in shock when a Sunday screening of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was halted after a fight broke out in the cinema.

The 2.50pm showing of the hit musical was interrupted by a large group of teenagers who kept moving around the auditorium, witnesses said.

Ruby Naldrett, who was at the screening with her mother, said: “There was a group who obviously hadn’t bought tickets because they kept moving around.

“They ran around the whole film and screamed throughout.

“When a woman confronted them it all kicked off.

“The film was paused and the cinema staff removed the whole group and assured us the police had been called.”

Sussex Police said: “Police received a report at 9pm on Sunday regarding an assault that took place at Cineworld in Brighton Marina around 5pm on the same day.

“A woman was assaulted by a group of teenagers, who were all believed to be around 14 years old.

“The teenagers were escorted off the premises.”

Describing the fracas, Ms Naldrett said: “It was mostly shoving and shouting and a lot of food throwing.

“Not what you expect while watching a Sunday screening of Mamma Mia with your mum.

“It obviously ruined my viewing of the film and I don’t think my mum was very happy either.

“The elderly ladies sitting next to us were quite upset by it.”

Ms Naldrett said she had considered filming the incident but had had felt too intimidated to get her camera out.

A spokeswoman for Cineworld said: “We can confirm that on Sunday afternoon a screening of Mamma Mia 2 at Cineworld Brighton Marina Village was briefly disrupted while security staff responded to an incident involving a group of disruptive customers.

“These customers were swiftly removed from the cinema and the police were contacted.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and have offered refunds to those affected.

“We would like to thank our customers for their co-operation.”

The second instalment of the Mamma Mia! franchise, Here We Go Again stars Amanda Seyfried, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Meryl Streep, who all reprise their roles from the first film.

There is also a star appearance by Cher.

Both a prequel and a sequel, the film is mainly set after the events of the first film but also features flashbacks to 1979, the year of ABBA’s final tour before breaking up.

The film was released in the UK on July 20, and made £9,735,931 on its opening weekend according to a Guardian report.