Cinema fans were certainly left with that sinking feeling as a screening of movie blockbuster U-571 was hit by technical hitches.

The Hollywood box-office smash is the tale of a group of American soldiers who capture a German U-boat and find the Enigma code machine.

But last night, Neil Thomas was among the 40-strong audience who suddenly found themselves sitting in the depths of darkness as things took a dive for the worse.

The film stopped about half an hour from the start and this was the first of four interruptions, with the performance finally finished ten minutes late.

"People were a bit cheesed off, but I was amazed that no-one was up in arms," said Mr Thomas.

"Everyone kept a stiff upper lip and with true British resolve put up with things in the face of adversity," he said.

"Not only had the American's hijacked the plot, the gremlins had ruined the film."

Odeon assistant manager David Boyles apologised for any inconvenience caused and said there had been technical problems with the projector.

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