It's been the bane of cinema-goers' lives for years as they put their hand in their lap in the hope they'll grab another handful of popcorn and nothing else, but a brand new discovery by scientists in a research laboratory in Cambridge is about to change all that.

Scientists in Cambridge have created glow in the dark popcorn designed for moviegoers who want to see where the popcorn is while they munch their way through the latest blockbuster, Pocket-lint has learnt.

The new foodstuff, which we've been told is totally safe, should go on sale before Christmas in the UK, but needs to first be approved by the Food Standards Agency in the UK to ensure that it is safe for consumption.

Dr A. Täuschen, who is heading up the project, says that the taste of the new popcorn is no different from standard popcorn and that customers should see this as "a benefit" rather than something to be "afraid of".

In 2009 Baskin Robins in the US created ice cream that changes colour when customers licked it, and this breakthrough is a variation of that technique, we've been told. 

Cinema chains are hoping that the creation of glow in the dark popcorn will mean cinema-goers will be able to see if they've got any popcorn left and not discard boxes of half full popcorn on the floor, something that according to managers of the cinemas we talked to is a big problem.

A number of company's are interested in the scientific breakthrough, we're told.