A CINEMA ceiling is reported to have partially collapsed as shocked movie-lovers watched a screening of a new Disney flick, forcing managers to cut the film short.

Cinemagoers were enjoying a showing of Wish at Odeon, in Head Street, Colchester, on Sunday when a section of the roof suddenly crumbled, according to reports.

The debris from the ceiling in Screen 5 is understood to have torn through some of the giant screen on which the film was being projected. 

Since then the screen has been cordoned off, and movies have been rescheduled to show on other screens.

Gazette: Scene - Odeon, in Head Street, ColchesterScene - Odeon, in Head Street, Colchester (Image: Public)
A source told the Gazette how contractors were inside the building on Monday carrying out repairs.

They said: "I was buying food from the manager at the till and they said the ceiling in Screen 5 fell down yesterday during a showing of Wish.

"I was told everyone was OK and nobody was injured, but the bit of the ceiling which fell near the front of the room tore through a bit of the screen.

"Apparently they have contractors in there today sorting it out but the screen is closed today while they fix it."

The source added by commenting on the age of the building, saying the incident could have been more serious.

"It's an old building but it sounds like this could have been a lot worse," they added.

The building has stood in Head Street since the 1880s, when it was the tallest building in Colchester and was used as a post office.

Gazette: Closed - Screen 5 is now currently out of actionClosed - Screen 5 is now currently out of action (Image: Public)

The building has housed the Odeon since 2002 after the old cinema in Crouch Street closed, but along with other venues in Head Street, the current Odeon venue has suffered from structural problems because of its age.

In 2021, Head Street was cordoned off by police when stonework above Fatal Attraction hairdresser fell from the third storey onto the pavement, with the fire service called in to make sure the building was structurally sound.

Now, similar problems have beset the Odeon’s Victorian structure, with the recent incident meaning one of its cinema screens is expected to remain out of action for an unknown amount of time.

Odeon was contacted for comment but did not respond at the time of going to press.