Unruly children quickly got back in line when Iron Man dropped in to the premier of his latest film at Herne Bay’s Kavanagh Cinema.

Onlookers stared with wide eyes and took pictures on their phones as the Marvel character posed with fans and served popcorn to customers.

Taking Robert Downey Jnr’s role as Tony Stark was Barry Southee, of Plough Lane, Swalecliffe, who works at Herne Bay Mobility.

He spent three hours inside the foam suit, bought for £850 on eBay, during a photoshoot at the Herons Leisure Centre and Kavanagh Cinema.

The stunt was to publicise the BayPromoTeam’s Sci-Fi By The Sea festival at Herne Bay Football Club next month.

Mr Southee, 30, said: “To be honest, I can’t see out of the mask that well.

“I have got to look out of the corner of my eye. I cannot see directly in front of me.

“It is the first costume I have ever bought. It is nice and light but you do sweat in it.

“It is not a costume you could walk around in all day. You are sweating but you cannot take your mask off because that will ruin the effect for the kids.”

Mr Southee was persuaded to buy the costume by his boss at Herne Bay Mobility, David Aldridge, a sci-fi fan who owns the UK’s only road-legal Dalek.

Mr Southee added: “He asked me if I wanted to get involved in Sci-Fi By The Sea and I said I wanted to go as Iron Man.

“These costumes do not come up often but when it did, I knew I would have it.”

BayPromoTeam founder and Sci-Fi By The Sea organiser Gerald McCarthy added: “The children at the cinema couldn’t speak. They were just pointing, which was good to see.”