The blackout - commencing at approximately 4.40pm on Saturday - left at least 40,000 customers in Londonderry and the surrounding area without electricity.

City centre businesses were amongst those left in the dark, inconveniencing early Christmas shoppers.

Many companies and public amenities were required to use back-up generators to provide electricity.

NIE engineers were tasked to establish the cause of the fault and electricity was restored to thousands of homes by 6.30pm.

This was a relief for many television viewers with the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, and ITV's The X Factor and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here airing from 6.50pm.

Manchester United and Everton fans in the city were not so fortunate missing most of the match as a result of the power cut.