intu Watford will welcome an escape room and virtual reality experience for visitors in 2021.

Escape Hunt, which has branches around the world, provides what is described as "immersive and exciting" escape room adventures for teams of two to six people.

Suitable for children aged eight and above, as well as adults, players are briefed on their mission before stepping into new worlds, solving puzzles and clues in a race against the clock.

Escape Hunt has taken a ten-year lease on a unit at the £180 million intu extension.

Escape Hunt chief executive Richard Harpham said: "We’re thrilled to be bringing the magic of our immersive entertainment to Watford.

"Some of our most popular escape rooms will be opening at intu Watford, and we’re sure you’re going to love them."

Charlie Griffiths, senior asset manager at intu Watford, added: "The addition of Escape Hunt to intu Watford’s great selection of attractions will help cement our position as the go-to destination for people looking for a great day out.

"Confidence continues to return across the leisure sector, as we adapt and learn how to manage the risks around Covid-19 effectively. We’ve seen good levels of interest in our space from a number of other providers over recent weeks – and we expect further new signings to follow this one.

"Research clearly shows that shopping centres offering a compelling combination of retail, food and beverage and entertainment options outperform the wider market.

"As people and brands become more selective with their choice of destination, we are determined to remain at the forefront of evolving consumer trends."