A DISABLED film fan was left in extreme pain after being forced to use the stairs at a cinema.

Linda Mason, 68, had no option but to climb the stairs at Odeon Brighton after staff told her the lift was out of order.

Ms Mason, from London, was visiting her daughter in Brighton and they decided to go to the cinema to see Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Ms Mason has osteo-arthritis, has had both knees and hips replaced and has to walk with a stick.

She said: “I had to use the stairs to access the screening, which we had already paid for.

“The process left me in severe discomfort and we were offered no refund and very little apology.”

This was on August 9 and despite staff assuring her the lift would be fixed within a week, The Argus can reveal it still has not been repaired.

A former employee of the cinema claimed the lift’s closure could be deliberate.

He said: “I was in at the weekend and the lift is now boarded up.

“The reason the lift is ‘out of order’ is because since they closed the box office there are now no staff to monitor the lift and they won’t pay for any extra staff to monitor it.

“People used to just get in the lift and go up to the screens without paying so the closure is nothing to do with the lift being broken.

“Management are more interested in covering their revenue than staffing properly and ensuring accessibility.”

The lift at Odeon Hastings is also out of order and has been for several weeks.

An Odeon cinema spokesman said: “We regret that we’ve had a number of technical issues with the lift at Odeon Brighton, meaning some screens have unfortunately not been fully accessible to all guests.

“Accessibility to all screens is very important to us, and we’re in the process of having the lift fixed.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, and any guests who aren’t able to enjoy the film of their choice due to this issue can receive a full refund from our team in-cinema.”

The cinema did not comment on suggestions the lift’s closure was deliberate.

But Ms Mason said: “If they think this is how they can treat disabled people – and if they are doing it deliberately – then it’s really disgusting.

“The whole incident has left me fuming, and they must be held accountable for what they are doing.”

Under the Equality Act 2010 it is unlawful for service providers, including cinemas, to treat disabled people less favourably.