Staff at a leading cinema chain have been equipped with night vision goggles to prevent pirates from illegally recording the new Harry Potter movie.
The PA reports that Vue Cinemas have asked employees to check that audience members aren't using video cameras to film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which went on general release today.
Jamie Graham, manager of the Cheshire Vue complex in Ellesmere Port, said: "It is an incredible response and makes you realise why the distributors are so keen to protect the film from pirates. I have been working in the cinema industry for 10 years and I have never heard of anything like this before.
"Our ushers are using the goggles in every screening to check nobody is making any illegal recordings. If anybody is caught then they will be reported to the police."
Poor quality copies of the first two films were widely available on the internet and the black market.
The PA reports that Vue Cinemas have asked employees to check that audience members aren't using video cameras to film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which went on general release today.
Jamie Graham, manager of the Cheshire Vue complex in Ellesmere Port, said: "It is an incredible response and makes you realise why the distributors are so keen to protect the film from pirates. I have been working in the cinema industry for 10 years and I have never heard of anything like this before.
"Our ushers are using the goggles in every screening to check nobody is making any illegal recordings. If anybody is caught then they will be reported to the police."
Poor quality copies of the first two films were widely available on the internet and the black market.