Cineworld Group is to complete its digital roll-out across the UK and Ireland by the end of summer, with more than 75 per cent of its estate now currently using digital projectors.

It comes as the group revealed it had become the number one cinema operator in 2011, with revenues and pre-tax profits increasing by 1.5 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively.

Admissions across the Cineworld estate were up by 2.3 per cent when compared with 2010 to 48.3 million, while box office sales grew by 2.7 per cent to more than £242m.

The company successfully negotiated a new £170m facility in March 2011 to finance future expansion plans, while its interactive D-Box seats are to trial in Glasgow later this year.

Cineworld CEO Stephen Wiener said: "We expect to complete our digital roll-out by the end of the summer, expand further with a new seven screen cinema in Aldershot in the fourth quarter and continue our investment in innovation.

"We will shortly be opening two additional IMAX screens in Sheffield and Crawley, as well as trialling our first interactive D-Box seats in Glasgow. These measures will help maintain our market-leading position and underpin growth in 2012 and beyond."

Details: www.cineworldplc.com