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The first episode of explosive new drama The Accident aired tonight - but some viewers were not happy.

The gripping four-part Channel 4 series, starring Sarah Lancashire and Joanna Scanlan, had viewers on the edge of their seats.

Inspired by the real-life tragedy of Grenfell Tower, The Accident started with an explosion at a regeneration project that led to a devastating collapse.

The residents of the small Welsh town watched on in horror as a group of teenagers were carried out of the rubble in body bags.

But some viewers were distracted by the 'terrible' Welsh accents used by the actors.

(Image: Channel 4) (Image: Channel 4)

Disgruntled viewers took to Twitter to give their take on the accents on the show.

One viewer said: "Some of these Welsh accents in #TheAccident are awful"

"Terrible Welsh accents and Welsh people don't say boyo," added another.

A third said: "Good try on the welsh accent but you’re not quite doing it right lads"

"Any one else put off by the awful accents," said a fourth.

(Image: Channel 4) (Image: Channel 4)

The Accident, based in the fictional 'left-behind' town of Glyngolau, Wales, started with a devastating tragedy.

Polly Bevan (Sarah Lancashire) was on a run with her friends when they heard a massive bang in the distance.

The parents could only watch on as smoke billowed out of the building, but things got a lot worse.

(Image: Channel 4) (Image: Channel 4/The Forge/Warren Orcha)

The building then collapsed into a pile of rubble on top of the teenagers inside, who had snuck in undetected.

There were screams as the gathered residents watched body bags been hauled out of the building.

The parents then faced a sickening wait to discover whether their kids had survived the tragedy.

(Image: Channel 4/The Forge/Warren Orcha) (Image: Channel 4/The Forge/Warren Orcha)

The series is partly based on the Grenfell Tower disaster, the west London block of flats which burned in 2017, killing 72 residents.

The Accident is also loosely based on the Aberfan disaster of 1966, when a coal-mining plant's spoil tip collapsed, smothering a local primary school and taking the lives of 116 children and 28 adults.

Written by Jack Thorne, The Accident explores "the nexus between blame, revenge and justice" and "the contentious question of responsibility - social, corporate and personal – that the accident gives rise to"

*The Accident airs Thursdays on Channel 4 at 9pm