More than 100 cinema-goers and diners were evacuated from Trowbridge’s St Stephen’s Place leisure complex last night, after a fire alarm went off in the Odeon cinema.

A fire crew was called to the site at 9pm after a fault in the alarm system sparked a full evacuation of the cinema and the adjacent Frankie and Benny’s restaurant.

Odeon manager Nick Price said: “There were about 100 people inside watching seven screens.

"The capacity of the building is 1,200, but as there are not many big films out at the moment it was relatively quiet.

“It was really quick; the fire brigade were really good, and within 15 minutes everyone was back in the building and the films started from where they had stopped, so no one missed anything.”

Trowbridge fire station crew manager Hamish Daya said one fire engine was sent to the complex.

He said: “It was just a false alarm due to a fault.

“The cinema staff were very professional, when we got there everyone was evacuated in an orderly fashion and waiting in the car park.”

It is understood a soft drink spilled in the cinema seeped down on to the alarm causing it to activate.

A spokesman for Frankie and Benny’s refused to comment on the incident.

  • Were you there? Give our Trowbridge reporter Andy Baber a ring on 01225 773646