Escape rooms don't get any more immersive than at Fox In A Box.

After we walked through the portal at the venue in Dalston Lane, I felt like I'd stepped onto the set of The Shawshank Redemption.

Two stern prison guards lined us up into two lines of six, and shouted at us along the way as we were led single-file into the escape rooms, before locking us in jail.

It was my daughter's birthday and there were 12 of us, split into two teams playing the exact same Prison Break game in identical rooms in a head-to-head experience.

Three people were locked into one cell measuring not much more than a metre across and two metres long, just within reaching distance of three others locked in another tiny cell separated by a small corridor.

Each cell was bare, with not much more than a bunk bed, a (pretend) toilet and a few ripped posters on the walls.

Yet somehow we needed to draw on our problem solving capabilities to first of all work out where the clues were, and then solve them in order to break out in a race against the clock.

If you get stuck, as we did many times, an 'inmate' communicating over loudspeaker can offer assistance along the way.

The escape room is incredibly well-designed and a mind-blowing experience was had by all.

The magic and fun of being transported into an imaginary world is a brilliant concept for all ages.

Parents looking for fun and educational team activities for their kids need look no further, while the centre also runs corporate team building events - plus it's also perfect for an action-packed night out with your friends.

Excitement builds up with each clue solved, and the buzz lasted so much longer than the hour we spent in the room.

I for one can't wait to return to try out the other games on offer there - to thwart a serial murderer in Zodiac Killer and to stop nuclear Armageddon in Bunker.

Fox In A Box is offering a free place for each birthday person, and if their team escapes (and they are over 18) they win a bottle of Prosecco.

Any party of four or more players can use the code TWOFOXONE to get 50 per cent off a Friday night booking.

See foxinaboxlondon.uk.