UK cinemas saw box office earnings grow nearly 5 per cent to a "record" high of £988m in 2010, according to the British Film Institute (BFI).

The increase in revenues compared with 2009 was achieved despite a 2.4 per cent decline in admissions, which were affected by poor winter weather and the summer World Cup. Films such as Toy Story 3 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 were among the titles to boost cinema receipts during 2010.

The BFI's 2011 Statistical Yearbook has also reported that the number of screens in the UK increased to 3,671 across 716 venues, with 1,067 capable of digital 3D screenings. In addition figures for last year, the BFI has posted a 0.7 per cent growth in admissions for the first half of 2011 - the second highest half-year total in the last five years.

BFI chief executive Amanda Nevill said: "The numbers and trends in this latest Yearbook, brought bang up to date by the half year production and box office figures for 2011 so far, tell a story of mixed fortunes in British film. "Overall, it is holding up remarkably well, with more people watching more film on more platforms, an increase in inward investment and significant activity in low budget filmmaking."