Explosions on Islington’s Stafford Cripps Estate hailed Idris Elba’s return as crime-fighting Luther. Residents excitedly looked on during filming in March this year, as a top floor flat blew up, raining down debris and a fridge door.

The miniseries starts: 9pm on BBCOne, December 15th.

Take a look at the official trailer here.

As fake fire engines, police offices and ambulances pulled up, fact merged with fiction a little. The Estate Manager Dennis Frost says, “As it happens, a member of the public fell and fractured his skull on the pavement. The film unit’s first aid team took care of him and called the ambulance. It was lucky they were on the site at the time.”

Mr Frost says the estate really enjoyed hosting the action-packed scenes, adding “Idris Elba certainly has a few fans up here on this estate, and he didn’t seem to mind at all that he’d attracted a lot of bystanders.

“Watching them working was exciting as I’m quite interested in film and TV. I enjoy Luther very much, as it happens.

“The special effects were incredible. It was interesting to see how it happens behind the scenes. You feel like you’re really a part of it all coming together.

“It was a great attraction for us, doing our day to day work and then popping out to see some more action filmed. And it’s just a bonus that it’s such a well-known show.”

The production made a donation to residents that will be spent on improving the gardens, as it’s something everyone can enjoy.

Mr Frost said he was happy to get involved in arranging the terms and conditions for such a complicated shoot with the production team, especially given the amount of action and special effects involved.

“The location manager came back three times to visit to make sure we were all okay,” he says. “That was very welcome. It was a very positive experience.”

As well as the air mortar cannons firing mock debris onto the street, and all the other excitement around Islington’s Gee Street at Stafford Cripps, the production filmed in St John Street. Here, two plain clothed detectives let themselves into a dental surgery.

The action also moves to Southwark’s pretty Georgian Trinity Church Square – where another donation was made to residents.

Here, Luther pull up in his car and knocks on a door. After a confrontation with the man who answers, Luther leads him in to his car and drives off, as another character from the house chases after. Luther stops and reverses the car into that character, then drives away.

Fans will also recognise Borough High Street, Elephant & Castle Roundabout, and Southwark Bridge.